Shifting Sands
by AllenWalker4ever
Summary: "The one with the golden eyes is the destined one", says the Prophet of Anubis. "The one with two golden eyes and raven locks. A sealed heart, a quest, an ancient treasure." / Semi-AU; ancient Egypt; pairings inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Shifting Sands**

**PH/YGO crossover**

**Summary: **The one with the golden eyes is the destined one says the Prophet of Anubis. The one with two golden eyes and raven locks. A sealed heart, a quest, an ancient treasure.

**Warnings:** boyxboy blood death violent themes ect

**Pairings:** Thiefshipping/Deathshipping GilxOz AdaxVincent BreakxSharon (The rest you can request)

**Notes:** There are duel monsters but instead the monsters on the cards are summoned from the abyss when dueling. The contract is on the card instead of the person and only 10% of the power can be used. Unlike with real contracts who have the contract personalized for them only and can see their chains in any situation.

There are the dark sides (Yamis) but instead they are different people, rather than souls trapped in items.

* * *

><p>Gil gritted his teeth. He only had one change. Oz's life depended on him moving in the way, stopping the attack.<p>

Her evil laughter infected him as he jumped in front of the brutal power. Oz screamed for him to move, that he'd die… Everything slowed down as he felt his energy drain from him, his eyes roll back… The pain was nothing.

Oz's beautiful face was still red and full of color. Ae wailed, trying to slice up any enemies in her path to get to the two of them.

"Gilbert! Gil… Nooooo…" Oz cried. Gil tried to smile. He lifted up his arm; when had it become so heavy?; and stroked the boy's soft cheek.

"I love you…" He whispered, feeling blood drip from his mouth. Oz's eyes were full of tears as he leaned over the man.

"I'll miss you." He choked out. Gil found that suddenly it was easy to smile… and his eyes drifted closed. Everything went black.

Gilbert wasn't entirely found of the Abyss but he had killed so many that it made sense he'd end up there instead of whatever heaven was. The abyss had a weird effect on time. Gil supposed he might have to wait forever until Vincent joined him, or only a few seconds. He might see Break, or other's he had once knew come down here soon. All he knew was that if Oz joined him Gilbert would go straight to Alyss and force her to send him back to the real world or heaven.

That beautiful face didn't belong down here, no matter how much light it could shine down on him.

Gilbert was ready to wait forever as long as that face was smiling. He could deal with being alone.

* * *

><p>"Malik! Malik!" Ishizu called for him. Shit. He really didn't want to be found. There was a meeting he was shirking right now. Some great old fogey was lecturing about a prophecy that had nothing to do with Malik.<p>

"Gotcha!" A guard caught him by the scruff of his neck. "Going somewhere?"

"Eheh…" He resigned defeat. The man dragged him into the large throne room, where the Pharaoh was listening to the speech the old fogey was giving.

"The one with the gold eyes it is! He will be found outside your palace in a fortnight and you will find a great scar on his chest. One that would be impossible to heal from without a miracle! The one with the golden eyes is the destined one. The one with two golden eyes and raven locks. A sealed heart, a quest, an ancient treasure, all his to unlock with his power of the black feathered hawk!" The prophet of Anubis raved. Gold dangled from his arms wildly.

Fake. Fake, fake, fake. Malik scoffed. A man with eyes made of gold? The only thing like that he'd ever heard of was the Senn eye, but that was just one and not two.

The pharaoh nodded and his servant, a brown haired street wench, escorted him out. The pharaoh would now decide whether to trust the man, and Malik knew already that they both swore it was bullshit.

By Ra, there was no one outside the palace. He could have all the servants check and then the old man would be proved a liar who just wanted money.

"Well, did a scribe record that? If a man is ound outside the palace in a fortnight with a great scar and two golden eyes, then I'll be damned. He could've just made up the whole thing." Malik said aloud this time. Ishizu cuffed him on the back of his head for saying it but he didn't really care.

"There is no man like that in my kingdom." Atem whispered. It hushed the entire room. He might be a boy, but the power he held was no puppet display. He controled the kingdom well and with force.

He could easily quiet his court.

"He could a be foreigner. That man was a trusted man and much respected. In all honesty, Pharaoh, please do not be skeptical if we do find this man." Ishizu replied boldy.

Malik rolled his eyes.

"I will take it into consideration judging on upcoming events. I will not blindly trust this man but if things come to be, then I will allow the man into my palace and give him care as well as enough supplies to go on this quest." Atem finally concluded. "Please, begone my friends. I have other matters to attend to."

Malik had at least accomplished one thing. The time he had to listen was short.

A prophecy, eh? He'd never believe in that sort of destiny. It'd take a miracle for him even to consider it.

Malik was smirking. He'd been right. It'd been a fortnight, with the prophecy on everyone's tongues, and nothing had happened. The old fogey was just that, an old fogey. Malik loved being right.

The dinner tonight was bland. Beer and duck consisted of the main course. But the duck was imported and old, while the beer was tastless. Marik wanted flavor and old stinking duck and flavorless beer were improper.

"Master Marik, Master Marik!" One of the servants called out. She had brown hair and brown eyes. What was her name again? All Marik knew was that the Pharaoh and her once had a fling and that she was now a prostitute rather than a servant.

Oh yeah, her name was Anzu. The bitch.

"What do you want?" He grumbled. He was probably the only one awake at this hour anyways, but why did they have to come to him about this?

"There's a man outside on the front door steps. He's covered in dried blood! What do we do?" Anzu whimpered.

Malik wanted to punch her. He got up and laid down the tray of beer and duck he'd stolen from the cooks after dinner. Anzu merely watched his naked form as he put on the closest article of clothing, a lavender sleeveless nightdress. He also put on a pair of commoners pants, since he'd be going outside and dealing with a body covered in blood plus nights were frozen in Egypt.

He walked out quietly through the main hall and the entryway before exiting out the main doors. Where this mystery man was located.

Malik froze once the doors were open. There was no lie, no trick. Anzu hadn't been lying. There was a man covered in a groteque pattern of reds and browns. His clothes were nothing but a tattered white sheet stained in red.

The man had extremely pale skin for a local. Malik didn't believe he was from here in seconds.

He pressed his hand to the man's chest. He felt the man's strong breathing. This man was alive. One could only assume the blood wasn't his, then. Malik knew that the Pharaoh was the one with the decision to let the man in the palace, but Malik already knew what the Pharaoh would say. Atem was a softy. The man would be invited in and catered to until he woke up.

"He's alive. Anzu, go take him to the healers. Let them examine him. Tell the Pharaoh when you wake him tomorrow that I made the decision to let him in and that I was only acting as I saw appropriate. That's all. Now let me get my beauty sleep." Malik commanded.

He then sauntered off back to his rooms. Hopefully nothing too horrible came from the pale man.

* * *

><p>They were all gathered around the raven haired man. It was morning. The healers said he was in perfect condition. No one in the village was missing, and the prophet just smiled when he was asked about the prophecy.<p>

The old fogey had gone so far as to say "Behold his golden gaze."

Malik watched the man start coming to. His eyelashes fluttered and breathing sped up. Ansu glanced down eagerly. Atem smiled gently at the man's handsome features. The servant that Atem had taken a fancy to this time around was standing behind the Pharaoh with a goofy grin. Joey or whatever his name was.

"O-Oz…" The man breathed as his eyes opened all the way. Whatever Oz meant Malik didn't know. Everyone else started talking and asking questions. Anzu was particularily loud, asking him how he got to the front steps to how he did his hair.

"Shh…" Atem held up a hand. He smiled down on the man, who's expression was that of utter shock.

"I should be dead." The man choked out. "I shouldn't be alive anymore… I sacrificed myself to save… what made me come back?"

Malik looked carefully at the man's eyes. Molten gold. There was a scar on the man's chest from his hip to his shoulder blade. It was old and scarred over. It couldn't have been what the blood was from. That blood was truly a mystery.

"May we know your name?" Atem asked. The man looked up. There was a collective gasp as the rest of the room noticed the man's eyes. They shined unnaturally in the dim light of the morning. Unlike how Malik had thought, it wasn't the whole that was made of gold, it was that the man's iris was a golden color.

"My name? It's… It's… Gilbert Nightray… That's all I know of my name." So he was a foreigner. Gilbert smiled sadly. "Where am I?"

Atem blinked, shocked enough that his har almost deflated. How could anyone not know where they were? The man didn't look like he was from egypt but he spoke it perfectly. He did have an accent, but it wasn't serious.

"You're in Egypt."

"When am I? That's the date? The year?"

Everyone was even more shocked than they were before. How could someone not know what year it was? It was common knowledge here.

"It's december 22nd." Anzu answered truthfully. "And this is the year of the Pharaoh Atem's 15th birthday. Why do you not remember?"

Gilbert smiled ruefully. Malik waited for his answer just as eagerly as the rest of them. "I can't remember anything really. I'm in Egypt, and this is not my time. I was born far after all of these events." The raven haired man laughed.

Atem slammed his fist down. "You aren't from the future! That's impossible! The great priests have already tried. You can't travel time."

Gilbert signed. "I may not have, but I get the feeling that this is far beyond what I should touch.. Maybe death is like that; when you come out, you never return to the time you started from."

Atem bit back any remarks of the man's so called lies. Malik was absorbing the information like a sponge, however. He wanted to know more. Anything called the abyss was worth knowing about.

"What's your life been like? What's the future like?" Malik asked eagerly. Gilbert shook his head. Malik felt himself getting annoyed. "Why not then, huh?"

"I can't reveal a future I don't remember. Yet I think all great empires fall. Yours will too." He smiled wistfully. There was wisdom in those older than time eyes. There was also a great deal of fear, confusion, innocence, and naivity. Atem snorted.

"While I am Pharaoh Egypt will never fall." He said, his ego seeping out.

"You are not immortal, Pharaoh." Gilbert reached out and snatched his hand back before he could touch Atem. It didn't seem as though he knew how rude it was, but more that he was scared of hurting the teenage pharaoh. Malik looked at the man's pale hands. Nothing unique or special. He wondered why Gilbert had restrained himself.

"Well, we can't sit around talking forever. Prepare this man a bath and then find me that priest who predicted his arrival. I have more questions about this quest." Atem commanded.

Gilbert seemed to notice the blood. "Ah… from my death."

Malik snorted. Whoever he was, he was worth dying for. Malik had never met anyone who he thought was worth dying for. But for some reason this man was entirely taken by the idea that this person was safe. Strange. Malik left the room. He had his duties to attend to.

* * *

><p>Gilbert knew that ancient Egypt was going to be a nightmare. He didn't know how he knew the language. He didn't think he knew it when he was alive. Sending him here after death… how cruel.<p>

The blonde with the bronze skin had intrigued him. He didn't seem like royalty, or like he wasn't anything but. Everyone else seemed scared of the Pharaoh, but he didn't smile loyally at the guy like the rest of them. Gilbert sighed and sunk lower into his bath. Now if he was alive, how did he remember what he'd forgotten? Or to get back to his time period? As much as he loved the idea he was going to be left alone in ancient Egypt without a manual on what the hell he was supposed to be doing, he didn't want to stay any longer than possible.

And then the blonde entered his thoughts again. Oh fuck it. Gilbert knew that instead of planning he was going to focus on the eccentric people he'd met when he'd woken up. Even at his own expense. The kid reminded him of someone. Fucked up on the inside, a perfect façade in place on the outside. But in a different way, he supposed. In a more sinister way. And it was definitely less creepy on a stranger than whoever he'd known before.

He wondered what that boy was. He wasn't a noble, his robes were made of plain cotton and not of the delicate fabrics like silk and linen that the rest of the nobles wore. However that boy was no commoner.

Then there was the Pharaoh himself. He seemed like a really good person, if not a bit harsh on the outside. He really seemed to love his friends though… Gilbert didn't like him. He wasn't the type of person Gil could be around without somehow corrupting. Well nothing really interested him more than what had come to pass. Why was he in ancient Egypt for god's sake? Why wasn't he in somewhere sane, like ancient France, or something? The roman empire?

Why was everyone so fascinated with him? He hadn't done anything by showing up. Okay, so it was a bit random, but not that random. He could've just been a wounded villager.

"Can I come in?" The voice was silky to cover up the teens emotions. Of course. Gilbert smiled a little when he grabbed a towel to cover up anything too embarrassing. He wasn't going to leave the bath, but just in case he was required to… He wanted one near in case.

"Sure. I was just relaxing." Gilbert said as he looked to the doorway for his visiter.

The blonde walked in. He was wearing something Gilbert could only describe as a sheet. Gilbert tried not to laugh as it swallowed the teenager's form and made him look like a ghost.

"I want to know more about you. Atem said not to, but I was too curious." The blonde sat down at the edge of the heated pool that Gilbert was resting in. The water was dark and unclean, but Gilbert didn't mind as long as the blood came off. It had caked on after the few hours he spent being alive and unconcious, he supposed.

"I have no problem with answering personal questions. But you have to let me ask you one for every answer I give you." Gilbert decided. If they were personal, then he saw no problem with revealing the information. Not like he remembered much, really. More and more faded by the minute, if he didn't consistantly think of it.

"As long as they aren't personal, I don't mind either. Um… How much do you know of the prophecy?"

Gilbert shook his head. His long raven locks flicked water out. "Nothing. I've never heard of any prophecies."

"Well, a man predicted you'd arrive a fortnight ago. We'd forgotten it until the maids had found you outside the palace." The blonde concluded.

Gilbert laughed. "Sorry kid, I'm no legend. I don't even remember who I am anymore."

"I'm not a kid! I'm a priest in training. That's more than you can say! I'm betting you were hired here to act and steal money and food from us!" The annoyed blonde snubbed his nose in the air.

"No. I just want to get back. To my own time." Gilbert said, liking how the blonde got irritated at the simple answer and started to whine about it.

"How dare you? You can't push us all aside! You won't get my sympathy that way you know! I don't take pity on liars and thieves!

"I don't intend to take anything more from you." Gilbert gritted his teeth. He wasn't a liar, nor did he appreciate being called one.

"My name is Malik! Malik Ishtar! Now use it! I'm not, you! I'm not, Kid! I'm Malik!" He protested, his long blonde hair spiking up a bit in the back.

Angeeeer issuuuueeees. Gilbert laughed. "Okay, Malik. Now call me by my name."

"W-what?" Malik had stopped ranted long enough to hear what Gil had just said. "I'm not calling you anything!"

"My name, Malik. It'll be more fun if we're both on first name basis." Gilbert insisted.

"Gilbert, wasn't it? Nightray?" Malik prodded.

Little did either of them know the truth of the destiny they now shared.

* * *

><p>Malik supposed the newcomer was a bit too willing. Gilbert had already set up a system. Waking up at the crack of dawn and practicing with the bow and arrow. He had excellent aim, but he was flimsy with the weapon itself.<p>

He then turned and helped the palace slaves cook, clean, or wait on their superiors until about noon. That's when the Pharaoh called him in and tried to coax information out of him and vica versa.

Then he ate dinner, something simple, and returned to his waiting duties. Malik sighed out of frustration.

Why doesn't that idiot use the status even talking to the pharaoh in private would get him? Why did he shake his head when Atem tried to keep him from doing anything below his level?

Malik hated getting told what to do, but Gilbert seemed more comfortable being told what his every move should be.

He was a curious man indeed.

Malik loved this time of year, honestly. It was time for the duel monsters tornament, in which all the young nobles, priests in training, tombkeepers, and whatever high ranking young ones could battle it out with their deck and with all other (even lower class) youngsters and their decks.

It was a children's card game, honestly. That's probably why Malik, who grudgingly admitted he was 14, was still very young in mind and loved this month of all months. 14 was an adult, but a young adult and he didn't like to consider himself old quite yet.

And he got to see the most interesting people there. Last year he had met Akefia, whose scar had been interesting to look at. He was a thief by nature. Malik had been very careful around the kleptomaniac with his gold.

He couldn't wait to meet other new teens his age this year. He had graduated into the teen selection at last, and now that he had, there would be all new players and competitors.

And since Malik was a priest in training, he had been one of the few entrusted with the egyptian god cards. The dragon of Ra, the winged serpent of Osiris, there were so many cards he cherished.

And had to protect from little kleptomaniacs like Akefia.

"You look happy, young master Malik." Gilbert said, waving his free hand. The other was filled with a broom. More chores. How did this idiot end up doing all the menial work?

"Yeah well, the duel monsters tornament is starting this morning, and I thought I should stop by and watch." Malik didn't really want to lie, but if someone overheard him telling Gilbert he was going to play in them, he'd been locked in his quarters for a month.

He was a priest in training, he had to be serious about his job. Pfft. Like Malik had ever been serious about becoming a priest. He justed wanted to learn the magic working process that came with it. The spell barriers, the enchantments, the curses. That was all so interesting, but everything else… not so much.

"Oh. What's duel monsters?" Gilbert frowned, as if he'd never heard of it before. By Ra, he probably hadn't. Malik sighed.

"You can drop the broom and come watch with me. Don't worry about it, because that's not your job. I'll send a messanger to Atem saying you're with me and that we've gone shopping or something."

"Why lie about the tornament?" The raven haired man had to question everything, didn't he?

Malik rubbed his cheek, it had started to itch a little. "Duel monsters is a bit of a kid's thing. You're an adult. Do you want to shame yourself by sending the pharaoh a message saying you've gone to see a bunch of children from all of Egypt play a game?"

Gilbert smiled. "It's been a while since I've even thought about games-" He cut himself off and stood frozen. It only was a second or two before he started acting normal again but it still was noticable that the subject was something that triggered a memory.

"What? What'd you remember?" Malik asked curiously. "Something about games?"

"I saw myself as a child… being chased. In a game of tag… I can't remember who the two people chasing me were. One was a girl, the other a guy… I get the feeling they were very important to me." He ended it with a solemn smile.

Tag was an even littler kid's game than duel monsters. Malik remembered playing it too. He grinned. "Well let's get off our bums and play some game! Duel monsters is the most amazing game ever in my opinion!"

Gilbert had just unleashed the chatterbox in Malik. It was rather scary, actually.

The location was far, but Malik's chatter was easily distracting, as were the sights all around the city. Many stalls, and many strange people and things. There was a strange scent in the air, something tropical and unique. It drowned out the horrid smell of how these people lived. After a bit of walking, Gilbert saw a thousand kids all swarming around and in a stadium. It was huge, The sun was beating down on them harshly. Gilbert supposed he should be happy that the toga like dress he was wearing was light but covered almost all of his body.

Gilbert wasn't the tallest one there, but he was amoungst the ranks of those who were. Malik was fitting in perfectly. There were others he'd noticed from around the palace running about. There was Jounouchi, one of the Pharaoh's friends. Anzu, who was the Pharaoh's conqubine.

And there must've been millions he'd never even seen. All surrounding a giant stage, in which competitors were stand with their strange decks of cards.

Malik jumped behind a bush with Gilbert out of the blue just as someone walked by. For a second it looked like… Atem? No, it couldn't be the pharaoh. The eyes were too kind and the hair was matted. The clothes were too tattered. Both of them sighed in relief. If anyone important saw them here together they would be in much trouble.

"I brought a spare change of clothes for me. I didn't remember that you would probably have to hide yourself. Let's split up. You can just watch and I'll hang around and maybe play a game or two to teach them a real power show."

"Okay, I'm good with just sitting and watching." Gilbert decided. "Or I could play a game…"

They hadn't been listening to the announcer, but if they had, they'd realize that the MC had just talked about a random player. And was now searching the crowd for a unknowing suspect.

"YOU THERE SIR! In the black robes!" He called. Gilbert froze and turned to see that the MC was pointing straight at him. Shit.

"Come on then, sir!" The MC climbed off the stage and grabbed Gilbert's arm. "Show us a good game!"

Gilbert had no choice but to comply. Malik looked absolutely shellshocked. This wouldn't end well.

"Well? Pull out your deck!"

"I…" GIlbert gulped. "don't have a deck. I only have…" He felt something heavy in his folds of his robes. He pulled out one card. There was a giant bird on the front, the writing in hierogylphs meaning "The Raven."

"Only one card? What a risky game! Come on, we need a challenger!"

"I will!" A loud voice from the crowd called. Gilbert looked up only to see the kid they had thought to be Atem wave. He had to play against that kid? Really now?

He was doomed. He didn't know the rules. All he had was one card. He checked it's stats. Not bad, not bad… but nothing as legendary as what that kid might have in store.

Then again Gilbert didn't know how to play this game.

The kid climbed down and smiled brightly at Gilbert. "My name is Yugi Motou. It'll be a pleasure playing against you!"

Especially since I have no clue what I'm doing, Gilbert grumbled. But he wasn't one to run away from a fight. He had his pride to protect.

They put their cards down, or card in Gilbert's case. Then Yugi said something strange… it sounded like a magic word that the priests would use. Gilbert had no idea what to do next.

Yugi flashed him another bright smile. "You have to say it's name to make your monster appear. Mine is the dark magician. So I activated my card."

Gilbert had barely said "Raven!" when the giant black bird burst out of the card and screeched. The crowd was hushed by it's sheer size. Compared to Yugi's dark magician, Raven was a colossal monster. It's black wings barely fit in the entire stadium, it's eyes gleaming an unearthly yellow.

Chains surrounded it coming from all different directions. They disapeared into another dimension when they stopped restraining the beast. The card it had been in lit on fire, and Gilbert felt something around his neck start to burn.

He grasped at his throat, trying to pull off the thing beore it started to strangle him. A necklace with a mirror on one side came off onto his hand. Raven cawed again.

The whole crowd cheered. Malik looked even more shocked than before, if that was even possible.

"I've never seen that card before! It seems to be restrained though, by that mirror of yours. That mirror is keeping your monster inside, just like a card. Maybe it chose to escape it's card form only to find that it's still constrained by your mirror."

Gilbert stared up at the bird. Was it really restrained by the power in his mirror necklace? It was so small. He noticed a seal on the inside. That must be what's keeping it constrained.

"Even so, this is my first time playing. I will probably be easy to beat." Gilbert frowned. Yugi seemed like a master.

"GO GIL!" Malik called from the audience. He had gotten over his initial shock and now was cheering on his friend. Gil smiled.

"Raven, attack position." Gilbert demanded. It cawed loudly, flying to the front. Yugi placed down another card.

"Sea goddess Calypso, defense position." He called out. Another card activated, before settling down softly behind the dark magician and vanishing.

"Raven, attack the dark magician with your blue flames!" Sure enough the bird breathed out massive walls of blue flame that consumed the poor card without trouble. Gilbert grinned. Maybe he could win after all.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I lost." Gilbert said wistfully as Malik dragged him down from the stage.<p>

"Raven is an epic card. It's too bad the actual card part burned up, all you have left to control it is purely that mirror." Malik hummed happily. Gilbert was new at duel monsters, of course he'd lose the Yugi. Yugi was a master. The only person Malik had seen better was Atem himself.

But Akefia was no where to be found. Malik was almost disapointed.

"Hey bird brains." A harsh voice with a strange accent stopped them. Gilbert resonded first, his hand going for his side. There was nothing there, which seemed to surprise him.

"He just wants to talk." Malik interjected, turning to the kid. White hair that stuck out at various angles, and two particular strands standing up like ears almost. Since his hair was white, they looked like little angels wings.

Malik's tongue might've fallen out if he hadn't been careful. It was Akefia's little brother. The one that was raised across the sea in a distant, distant land. What was his name? Bakura? Or was he the younger one, Ryou?

"My name is Bakura. I want your mirror." He was especially blunt as he gave them a death glare.

Gilbert hands jumped to his mirror. It wasn't around his neck, Malik noted. So this boy was also a thief. First class too.

"I'll only take it if you don't help me." Bkaura dangled it from his hand. He smirked at Gilbert's expression. He was enraged, but also very very curious as to how the teen had stolen it from inside his shirt.

"What do you need our help for?" Malik asked, knowing that Gilbert would just ruin the whole situation.

Bakura seemed to sober up and turn serious. "My brother's dying. If you help him I'll let you have your mirror back, but please! You have to help Ryou!"

* * *

><p><strong>And their adventure starts! The secret is hidden in the shifting sands. Lol, I usually hate crossovers but I really wanted to do one this time!<strong>

**I'm hinking I'll put a preview of the next chapter. One of my favorite authors did this and I thought the idea was brilliant and I really apperciated it, soooo... I thought you guys would too. I know this is in some really strange fandom catagory but please give the rest of my story a chance!**

**And for those of you who want chapters of Subsidal and whatever else, Subsidal is also getting another few chapters today so don't dispair. I'm actually almost done with it.**

**Preview:**

_"I told you! TIE DOWN THAT CARAVAN! It's got the goods!"_

_Oh fuck, Ryou. Gilbert jumped up, the mirror flinging in his hand. "Raven! Snatch that caravan! It's the one with Ryou! It has to be!" The bird erupted from the mirror before he had time to speak another word. The slave traders froze._

**And last but not least, I DON'T OWN ANYTHING I SWEAR! NOT YU-GI-OH, NOT PANDORA HEARTS! If I did, why would this be called fanfiction?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Shifting Sands**

**PH/YGO crossover**

**Summary:** The one with the golden eyes is the destined one says the Prophet of Anubis. The one with two golden eyes and raven locks. A sealed heart, a quest, an ancient treasure.

**Warnings:** boyxboy blood death violent themes ect

**Pairings:** Thiefshipping/Deathshipping GilxOz AdaxVincent BreakxSharon (The rest you can request)

Notes: There are duel monsters but instead the monsters on the cards are summoned from the abyss when dueling. The contract is on the card instead of the person and only 10% of the power can be used. Unlike with real contracts who have the contract personalized for them only and can see their chains in any situation.

There are the dark sides (Yamis) but instead they are different people, rather than souls trapped in items.

* * *

><p><em>"I'll only take it if you don't help me." Bkaura dangled it from his hand. He smirked at Gilbert's expression. He was enraged, but also very very curious as to how the teen had stolen it from inside his shir t.<em>

_"What do you need our help for?" Malik asked, knowing that Gilbert would just ruin the whole situation. _

_Bakura seemed to sober up and turn serious. "My brother's dying. If you help him I'll let you have your mirror back, but please! You have to help Ryou !"_

* * *

><p>Yes, these were Akefia's little siblings alright. Malik turned to Gilbert, looking for an opinion. The priest in training couldn't decided everything on his own, after all!<p>

"I need that mirror back once we've gotten your brother help, though. And you look to be about 12 or 13, where are your parents?" Gilbert said kindly, holding out his hand to the albino Egyptian cautiously.

Bakura nodded. "I'll give you your stupid mirror back once Ryou's better! And my parents are dead, if you must know."

The kid was a real brat. Malik tried not to laugh. He thought the younger boy was actually rather cute. He did look about 12.

His wild untamed white hair and pale as snow skin gave off wild vibes of foreigner but Malik knew that Bakura was indeed related to Akefia and of Egyptian blood.

"He's just down here…" Bakura lead them to one of the shaded alleys in the arena. And honest to goodness, there was another boy with similar looks to Bakura, only he looked even younger. Malik would've tagged him as a 7 year old at most. Akefia had been older than he was… the siblings really were far apart in age.

"'Kura… you c-can't do this!" He stuttered, trying to get up of of the pile of fabric he was laying on. Malik winced at the harsh burns all over the kid's body and the sick green infection on his leg. Ryou really was dying.

"They agreed to help! I didn't do anything b-bad this time I swear!" Bakura quivered a little bit as he lied to his younger brother. Ryou saw through it.

"G-give whatever y-you s-stole back to t-them!" He coughed, and blood splattered on his hands as he tried to hold it in. "I w-won't al-low you t-to use k-kind people l-like t-" He was interrupted by another coughing fit. Bakura jumped to help him into a better breathing position, his red eyes glaring at the unknown enemy. Malik winced. Gilbert, who was the oldest there, started making decisions.

"Malik, get their things. Bakura, I'll carry your brother back to the palace. I can tell you aren't strong enough to hold him up yet. Find me something to cover him with, we don't want people to gawk or for him to get any more burned from the sun."

"N-no! He's u-using you! I'm n-not worth i-it!" Ryou protested, but Gilbert picked him up swiftly and gently, stroking the white wild hair back. Malik picked up the two bags filled with the most general things to live. Just clothes, bread, and sleeping things. Basic things for living.

Malik didn't see how anyone could live so low. Bakura glared at him, pulling out a large brown blanket and wrapped it around his weakly protesting little brother. Malik liked the strength he saw in those eyes.

They walked back in silence, other than Ryou's coughing and weak protests. Bakura glared at any one and anything that they ran across, shuffling along in his too small sandals.

They reached the palace after 30 good minutes of walking. Anzu gasped at the view of Ryou wrapped up in a blanket, blood all over his hands. "Take him to the bathing room and clean out his wounds!" She instructed the younger slaves she was supposed to be briefing over how the palace worked. They nodded, and took the younger albino into their arms. There were about five of them carrying him all together, but he seemed secure so Gilbert didn't protest.

"Nubians. I swear…" Anzu rubbed her forehead. "Please, get washed up afterwards as well, both of you. Master Malik, Seth is waiting to give you lessons today on magical healing but with that poor boy all of his help will probably be needed. Please just get neat and prepared for whenever that will occur."

Bakura backed up and hid behind Gilbert to avoid her gaze.

"Isn't that your brother? You two are certainly interesting. Well, don't just stand around! Go to the servants quarters and get changed into one of the uniforms. We can't have non-nobility doing whatever they like in the palace! Be glad you're here in the first place; I'd make you do slave labor if you weren't with Master Gilbert!"

Gilbert was about to protest before Malik cut him off. "The girl is right, Gil. We can't let little thieves run about the palace. If he's here, we should have him doing work. Bakura could come with me back to the temple if he'd prefer that. Still work, but it's usually better."

Bakura looked from Gilbert to Malik before making his decision. "I'd rather go to the temple. That servant lady is a bitch."

Anzu's eyes shrunk as her entire face scrunched up into a mask of fury. She raised her hand to hit him when Malik stepped in front of the albino.

"Don't prove him right!" Gilbert said, pulling her hand down. Anzu turned away before glaring straight back at Bakura. He smirked, his head cocked to the side in challenge.

"Please, she's a whore. I don't have to be proven right, I already am." He laughed. Malik stepped on his foot.

"Does Malik Ishtar have to smack a bitch?" He replied cheerfully. Bakura hissed.

Gilbert smiled. "Nice to know that everyone can get along." The threat was dripping from his mouth.

* * *

><p>Gilbert had been curled up into his bed with a cold feeling. This place was changing him. He felt so much happier, younger… serious matters had nothing to do with him. He glanced in the mirror.<p>

Why did his feet feel so light as he stood up? He placed a pale hand on the rough glass. He swore he could see a different face looking on the other side back at him. What had he missed? What exactly, that was more important than life itself, had he forgotten? Who had he forgotten?

He kept his eyes shut, afraid to open them and realize what exactly he had shut out.

"_Stupid rabbit!" He called. The girl huffed._

"_Seaweed head! I say we ditch him and go buy meat, Oz!" She called to the blonde sitting next to her…_

Gilbert's eyes snapped open. Oz… that name meant everything to him! He'd forgotten Oz… who had Oz been to him? Ugh, his head hurt so much… why was it pounding so hard? What didn't his head want him to remember? Who had he forgotten? That person... that one person was the key to becoming himself again.

Gilbert passed out in front of the mirror, collapsing on the spot.

* * *

><p>"Master Malik!" Bakura called. He hated servitude. Especially having to call that stupid brat 'master'. Why did it have such a ring to it? Malik was going to be high priest just like Seth someday, he just knew it, so why did it sound so great right then?<p>

"MASTER MALIK!" He cried out, shuffling along in his new sandals. The priest uniform was too big for him, but it was the only spare they had. None of the servants uniforms were new enough for him to wear. So he had to wear the customary white linen of a priest in training with no status.

It was white with folds, tied around the waist with a bright colored scarf, and completed with woven sandals. Just as his old sandals had been too small, these were too large.

He had just about given up playing messenger; it was the only job the higher priests trusted him with; when he found the door he'd been looking for. The hieroglyphs were simple and read the name he wanted. "Ishtar, Malik."

He didn't bother announcing his presence. He was a thief, being sneaky was one of the things he prided himself on. He brushed aside the hanging over the door before walking in. On a sight he hadn't expected to see.

Malik was standing in the center of the room wearing nothing save a sheet. Bakura tried to keep his eyes in his head. He decided to be sneaky probably wasn't the best idea right now.

"I-I brought you a message from the palace, Master Malik." He tried to not stammer as the teenager turned to look at him. Dammit! He wasn't supposed to get all flustered over seeing that stupid bastard wearing a fucking sheet.

Malik laughed. "Your face is all red! Okay, what is it? Did Anzu give you a rough time?"

Bakura shook his head no. "Actually, Mistress Isis wanted me to tell your noble fucking ass that Gilbert was found asleep on the floor of his room right next to the mirror, and also that the pharaoh wants to see me, you, and the seaweed head to discuss Ryou and some other shit I honestly don't give a damn about."

Malik turned fully to him and yanked on his ear. "Don't talk like that to your master." He chided.

"Fuck that." Bakura hissed. "Akefia said all of you noble pussies were nightmares. I think he's right!"

"But we're not dreams, 'Kura! Nightmares are dreams, silly." Malik said cheerfully.

"Fucking retard." Bakura sniffed. How dumb could this guy get? Bakura hated the random mood-swings, the teasing, the... everything! How could he even think this weirdo was attractive?

While, he was lost in his thoughts, Malik pulled off the sheet dramatically. Bakura felt himself flutter and fall to the floor. He was still here! But he did it with such nonchalance… Bakura watched Malik grab his priest robes and pull them on. Bakura wouldn't admit he was staring the whole time, feeling his face heat up to extreme temperatures.

"Well? Let's get going, Ryou needs urgent care!" Marik dragged Bakura along with sudden seriousness.

Bakura tried to regain his head.

* * *

><p>Gilbert tapped his fingers in the floor. Sitting on the cushion provided was nice, but he couldn't wait for Bakura, Malik, and Isis to show up.<p>

Atem was already there, skimming the papyrus sheets that Isis had provided him with.

"We're here, your royal highness!" Malik called, with Bakura hand in hand. Isis was following the younger ones with a smile on her face. Gilbert noted that Malik wasn't wearing his gold for some reason, and that Bakura's clothes seemed far too nice and new for him to feel comfortable in. Isis looked amazing, of course. She never failed to be beautiful.

"Welcome. I'm afraid everyone here should sit down while we discuss the future." Atem commanded with an apologetic tone. Bakura glared greedily at the beautiful fabrics that the pharaoh had donned. Malik noticed that, and slapped the orphan in the back of his head.

Gilbert smiled. Those two were cute. He felt his heart skip a beat… what was this feeling again? Oz… who was Oz to him? Why did he keep coming up! Whenever he saw people who together, happy and carefree for even the briefest of moments his head and his heart hurt.

"Down to serious business. Gilbert, even though we've loved your company around the palace, there are greater places you must go." Gilbert looked to Isis, who'd spoken this time around in her mystical voice. "I have looked into the future using my millennium necklace and seen that a great adventure awaits you. Your destiny is to battle adversity and face friends to complete your goal, finding your own book of the dead, your key to the afterlife."

"Book of the dead?" Malik interjected. "I know everyone has their own, but Gil here is already dead! Shouldn't he have already used it to land here?"

"Um… Malik? From the place I come from, no one has a book of the dead. I'm pretty sure mine doesn't exist, especially not a few thousand years before my death." Gilbert added in. Bakura snorted. Somehow he had found a clearer understanding of the situation from being an underfed, practical preteen.

"You idiots. Gilbert didn't use the book of the dead because it was lost in the shifting sands of time. Obviously to pass on, he was sent to the time where it belongs, to find it to trace back to his real time." He announced, looking about annoyed at their misunderstanding.

Malik laughed. "That's the smartest thing you've ever said, fluffy."

Bakura punched him in the gut. Gilbert sighed before becoming the more mature adult role that these two made him assume. "Calm. Bakura, you have to be on your best behavior, and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us."

"Bloody tart." Bakura muttered underneath his breath.

"Is that true, Lady Isis?" Atem interjected. "He was sent here because this is when and where his book exists?"

She nodded. Then she started pacing. "But it isn't here, but in the afterlife parallel to this time. The place is nearly impossible to get to, but the gods will guide you. I will tell you this however, to go there and retrieve what you seek does not require death."

"That makes sense… Tell me, how then does one get there?" Gilbert asked, entirely serious. He HAD to meet this Oz person again, tell him… something? Tell everyone there that he'd never meant to leave, that he'd never wanted to die.

"I have a text with directions, but you still need to complete some insane tasks. All of you must… contract a beast from there. The forbidden land that some fall into if not careful in treading the afterlife." Isis still was pacing, irritated. For more likely, fretting and worried over their fate.

"The abyss?" Gilbert asked. The name was so familiar… "And all of us? You mean that all of us are going? Malik, Bakura, and I? Or just me?"

"When I say all of you, yes I mean Malik, Bakura, and Gilbert. Bakura knows the wilds better than he'll admit. He will be your guide in exchange for his brother's care. Malik is the best one we have at the temple, and even though all of our full priests and priestesses are needed for everyday work and service to the gods, Malik will be of more service to you than they could be."

"Don't I get to decide what I'm going to do with my life?" Malik shrieked, jumping up and pointing his tan finger at his older sister.

"Malik…" Her eyes softened. "The gods have decided this for you. It's better than staying home and learning little from the elder priests. Experience is good for you. You need to learn of the outside world."

"They keep you all safe and protected from the big bad wolves but once you're outside the walls." Bakura grinned. "You start to see the darker side of life. I'm betting the only place outside the temple and the palace is that bazaar, and it's still very safe there. Palace guards everywhere."

"Shut up!" Malik yelled, balling his fists. "Just because you had nothing, had to live on the streets, it doesn't make you somehow better than me! Somehow smarter!"

Gilbert wanted to stand between them, but he knew that wouldn't work. He'd just get hit in the crossfire. He watched and waited then. Atem cleared his throat. The silence afterwards was deafening. "Let's all be civil about this, won't we? Malik, they need you more than they will ever know. Bakura, Malik needs you more than Gilbert so don't start this fight over such a simple fact. Gilbert, you need to keep those two from killing each other. Both of them are vital to your quest. Once you find what you seek, then they will return here safely."

"And if we fail?" Gilbert asked quietly. He didn't want to think about failure but it was better to know all possible endings.

"You're dead once more, forever lost… in the sands of time." Isis answered solemnly.

That a risk he was willing to take.

* * *

><p>Gilbert watched in silence as the two children, preteens they really were but to him, mere children, walking before him into the room.<p>

Bakura was almost running, his needy hands searching for his brother. Ryou laid on the bed, unconscious as the sun's rays poured their golden light into the room. It was mid morning, and even though they really should've been packing, Bakura insisted on seeing his brother. One last time, at least.

They might die, after all. How mature these children must be.

"Ryou! Ryou!" Bakura cried, finally reaching Ryou's side. Malik watched from a distance. The younger albino seemed so frail and sick, like he'd break if breathed upon. His burns were a puffy pink and his leg looked so terrible that Gilbert could've sworn that it'd be amputated before the end of the week.

That shade of green shouldn't be on anyone's skin. Gilbert held back the sickness he felt. Even Bakura shuddered as one of the puffy burns popped and puss poured out. The poor boy had little hope and his brother knew it.

"How'd he get so bad." It wasn't a question. Gilbert was demanding an answer.

"There were these slave traders… they used him as their toy while I was their work man. I'd make the meals, be their guide. It was the only life either of us had known. Akefia stole us back from them, but he left us alone in Kul Edna. The thieves there weren't any better. They used Ryou in worse ways, and until one cut him on his leg I had to let it go by." Bakura paused, sniffling, and sitting down. His knees were raw and red. Gilbert knew exactly how hard life had been since then for those two.

"By toy, you mean… sex?" Malik asked. His innocent purple eyes widened in fear as Bakura nodded. He ran over to the albino, ignoring the dust cloud that he left behind in his haste. Malik pulled Bakura into something of an embrace that the younger boy struggled to get out of.

"DON'T PITY ME!" He hissed. Malik let go. "He deserves your pity. I let them do it."

Gilbert looked to the sleeping sick albino on the cot. He deserved so much pity that Gilbert almost felt horrible for pitying him. What a strong soul.

"I think he should be commended for being as strong as he is. Now, please continue." The raven haired man instructed. His face was strict but his heart was wimpering at the mental and psyhical torture the two must've faced. They were so young.

"I bound his leg to stop the bleeding. And then I left him at home so I could go and bring back something to eat. So he'd get better. When I came back the whole city was on fire, and Akefia, Ryou and I barely managed to escape. Then Akefia left us… I don't know where he went. We've been inside that bazaar he left us in for a week alone." Bakura finished melodramatically.

Malik sniffled. "I met him, you know."

"Akefia?" Bakura jumped up. "When did you meet him? How? What was my brother to you?"

Malik blinked. He brushed back a strand of his platinum blonde hair and smiled. "Don't worry, he's just a friend. An interesting person I happened to meet at the stadium. Boring guy, don't get me wrong."

Gilbert would've laughed if he had the heart. There was no way he interpretted that right. Bakura seemed… jealous? Of who, and what, Gilbert probably would never know. But it seemed like it was Malik, surprisingly.

Bakura huffed. His pale cheeks seemed to redden. Or maybe Gilbert was just imagining it…

"Onto business, have you heard from Seth on how his healing is coming?" Gilbert butted in. He knew it was a tense moment, and he didn't like those that much.

"He's in trouble without some sort of miracle. One I have to earn." Bakura hissed. Malik looked at him with a worried glance.

The tanned teen turned his gaze back to the sleeping albino on the bed. "You can't mean, you want to earn a favor from the gods?" He asked hesitantly. Bakura gave them both a sharp nod.

"We need you, Bakura. Seth will make the miracle and pay the favor if need be!" Malik protested. Earning a favor from the gods wasn't easy. Lifetime of servitude was a simple easy one. Gilbert put his hand on the preteen's shoulder.

"Bakura will earn his favor and their forgiveness through helping us. He won't leave us. Believe in us." Gilbert whispered. It sounded strange coming from his mouth. Not harsh enough, not cold enough. He didn't know how he acted before, let alone how he should act now. No wonder some of the things he was doing felt so wrong.

Bakura gave him a glare in return for his efforts, before dragging the two of them out of the room. "Ryou needs sleep to get better. We're disturbing him."

* * *

><p>Bakura felt a wave of panic rush through him. He was sitting on his dusty bed in the servant's quarters of the temple. It was almost midnight; the moon was high and bright in the sky. His instincts were hardly wrong, Ryou was in danger.<p>

He knew he wanted to run straight there, but he'd need help to get into the palace to see Ryou. Servants weren't allowed in like that. He needed someone important.

Ugh.

That stupid priest in training. Bakura ran straight to Malik's room. He knew the preteen would be asleep, but who cared about that? He needed Malik to get him through the doors.

Ryou needed their help.

He brushed the covering aside just to see Malik's room empty. Where was Malik, anyway? He felt the bed. Long cold, so Malik hadn't just left to use the bathroom or some stupid shit like that. Where was that retarded priest in training?

He sat down on the fresh linen, just to hear the echoes of screams.

Dammit! Those were Malik's! Malik, Ryou? Ryou was sick, he could die any second. Malik was tougher, had a thicker hide and he was booksmart. At least he should be able to help himself. Family first.

Bakura ran straight out of the room, and on towards the front doors. He didn't even feel sorry leaving the tanned preteen behind. Once he was outside, and the biting chill hit him for the first time that night, he might've thought he felt the tiniest bit of guilt, but…

Gilbert would let him in the palace. He was at the front steps of the towering structure, but he paused. He saw the people, he'd recognise those rough faces and cruel expressions anywhere. The slave traders.

They loaded Ryou into one of their caravans, along with a few others wrapped up in blankets. They wanted ransom money from the pharaoh, and finding Ryou was just a bonus.

Bakura stopped himself from hissing. The caravans, once loaded with bodies of the unconcious, rolled down the road innocently, dragged by donkeys and camels. Bakura felt the pure desire to kill flush through him.

But if he moved, they'd see him and take him too. He was more help to Ryou not moving an inch. He held in the trembles, the shaky breaths. Once they had left, he released his breath and he ran for the doors. He slammed on the knockers as loud as he could.

No one answered.

Bakura knew that as a thief, he could pick the lock. And so, without guilt, he pulled out one of the spokes on his hidden treasure, the sennen ring, and picked the lock on the mighty doors to the inside. Heh. Mighty enough not to block out the scum those traders were.

Bakura smirked as the doors clicked open. He tugged on one, and he crept down the huge halls all the way to Gilbert's room. Gilbert was tough, he'd still be alive and kicking after that.

He peered in. Nothing stirred, but there was a lump underneath the blankets that seemed to be rising and falling slowly. Breathing. Bakura was triumphant.

The albino crawled into the room and next to the sleeping black haired man. He shook him slightly. No change. He shook harder.

"…Go away. It's still dark." Gilbert murmured.

"Ryou's been fucking kidnapped. You have to help me save him from the slave traders. They took a bunch of kids for ransom money!" Bakura spit.

Gilbert shot up. For some reason kidnapping made him feel his senses on fire. It made him pissed. So pissed.

"We'll have to ride Raven to catch up with them. But we'll get Ryou back even if it kills us." Gilbert jumped out of bed and he threw on his black shawl. For some reason he only felt comfortable in black these days.

The palace was easy enough to leave without being heard or caught. Not like they were thieves, they were the ones trying to get back the stolen. The Caravans were far ahead of the two midnight trackers, but Bakura had a good nose for blood. Ryou's was leaking onto the hardened sands.

Gilbert felt his heart harden. Poor, helpless children. Why did they deserve this?

Would they loose their trust in the world, because of this? Wouldn't they want someone to promise them their forevers, their forevers…

"_I certainly don't know what will happen tomorrow… But, young master… May I stay by your side, no matter what happens? I know the darkness you carry, and you know the weakness I carry. And even if, there is no light, we will still be connected by our shadows. I… I always want to be your servant."_

"_I don't believe in forever."_

"_I know that. But… Haven't you ever thought about it, even once?"_

Gilbert snapped out of his memories and he continued to run after Bakura. Bakura turned back and glared at his softened expression.

"We dawdle any more and we'll never catch up to them! Ryou will die without Seth there to heal him!" Bakura snapped. The white haired preteen had such a short fuse…

Gilbert nodded. He knew the truth and solemnity of the situation. He just didn't want to think of it.

He saw the dunes begin to become softer, and the caravan tips struggling to move out of the dune they had stunk into. The traders were wearing foreign clothing, and clothes to cover their faces. Bakura snarled through his teeth at the sight of them.

Gilbert pulled out raven automatically. He didn't think he'd have to use it so soon.

The wind picked up, and the caravans shuddered with the pure force of the gusts. He knew it had been windy but these winds were threatening to force over the caravan. Even with Ryou and everyone else who was shoved in there. The slave traders started yelling.

"I told you! TIE DOWN THAT CARAVAN! It's got the goods!"

Oh fuck, Ryou. Gilbert jumped up, the mirror flinging in his hand. "Raven! Snatch that caravan! It's the one with Ryou! It has to be!" The bird erupted from the mirror before he had time to speak another word. The slave traders froze.

The large bird's talon clutched the top of the wagon, sweeping it into the air in a swift movement. That didn't stop the traders from pulling out their knifes and throwing them at the beastly bird.

Raven cawed loudly, making everyone cover their ears. "Raven, take the Caravan back to the palace!" Gilbert demanded. It didn't acknowlage him as it flew away in that direction, leaving dust devils from the powerful flaps of it's wings.

The slave traders turned on the two of them.

"We can't take them." Bakura answered the unasked question.

"So what now?" Gilbert asked in earnest. If you don't fight, then what do you do? Do you-

"RUN! DUMBASS!" Bakura reached out his skinny pale hand and he clutched the larger man's in his own before using it to drag it's owner in the opposite direction of the slave traders.

Gilbert eventually started running on his own. His stride lengths were longer than Bakura's, so he swooped up the smaller boy into his arms and carried him back to the palace. The protesting made it all the more painful.

"DO YOU WANT TO DIE, MOTHER FUCKER?" Bakura was screaming bloody murder. Oh no, if the night hadn't been loud enough beforehand. Gilbert had to grit his teeth from screaming for the albino to shut the fuck up while he ran.

Because dying wasn't on his list of things to do tonight.

Sure enough the palace doors were open a crack, just as they had left them. Gilbert slammed them shut and motioned for Bakura, who had just been dropped onto the floor unceremoniously, to bar them with something.

Bakura grabbed a spear from the sleeping guard, (only god knows how he slept through this) and tossed it to the older man. Gilbert managed to slam it through the handles before the slave traders pushed up against it. That should hold them long enough to get everyone awake.

Then they'd run away like the gutter rats they were.

"Atem! YOUR HAIR MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A STAR FISH!" Bakura screamed. The guard jumped awake.

"You two! What are you doing here?" He grabbed a sword as he said this. Bakura smirked like the devil.

"They should fire you for letting slave traders steal all the palace's children." He said cheerfully, and this somehow enhanced his pure evil intentions. Ahaha. Death to all.

Gilbert held both doors shut with difficulty.

"Hurry it up! Help me, guard!" He demanded, panting from the slave traders ramming into the twin doors. The guard realized the happenings and he jumped in next to Gilbert, holding both doors shut with all his might.

"Boy!" THe guard commanded. "Go to Tristan, he's the captian of the guard. And wake up Joey! He's the pharaoh's personal servant."

Bakura spit in the man's eye for daring to command him. No one commanded Bakura, no one. Akefia had tried, and failed. Bakura stood above the others. But he knew that the guard was right. He only had so much time and more people awake and about in the castle, the more those slave traders would want to run.

The stairs were a short trip. Bakura opened the door uncautiously to the head guard's room. The man was laying on his bed, naked with one of the pharaoh's harem. Bakura didn't care for the man's name, but he threw a pillow at the guard anyways.

"GET UP, LAZY BRAINS!" He shrieked. Time was of the essense. He needed to move, move, move!

The guard jumped up and pointed a sword at him. Then he realized who it was, and he understood the situation perfectly. Bakura couldn't tell if it just showed on his face, or if the panic was just getting to him.

The paranoia, the panic, the need! The desire for something to change, for something to stop. Bakura was trying to stay standing, he wanted to run far, far away. As far away as he could get. And suddenly the guard was running down the hallway wearing little to nothing and Bakura could move again. The white haired albino ran straight to the servants quarters. Joey, or whatever his name was, should be there.

The sound of little feet racing through the halls disturbed him. They haunted him. Bakura found the aforementioned blonde and he shook him awake. Joey just blinked to focus on his face, before jumping up and giving orders.

And now, Bakura had to run back. The time was ticking on the watch. Ryou, Ryou was hurt! Dying, dead, drying, dead! Bakura tried not to loose his sanity as he ran, ran, ran as fast as he could to where Ryou was.

He couldn't loose Ryou too. They had already lost Akefia to his selfish pigheaded ways, but Ryou couldn't die! BAKURA COULDN'T BE ALONE AGAIN! He felt someone press a steady hand to his soulder. Gilbert. Since when did he get outside? When did he exit the stuffy palace? He did't remember.

"You're tired. You can go to sleep now, it's okay. Joey woke up Seth and he's currently attending to Ryou and the rest of the children." Gilbert said softly.

Bakura nodded, before letting the blackness, when did that blackness come to him? Before letting the blackness win, and his memory faze out.

He blacked out then and there.

* * *

><p><strong>FORGIVE! FORGIVE THE LATENESS!<strong>

**I honestly enjoyed this chapter. Isn't it soooo long? I know, it's terribly long. Sorry about that.**

**Preview:**

_"A deal? What would she want?"_

_"… she'd want Jack." Oz interrupted. "She's in love with him after all."_

**See ya! I'd love some comments and some love!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Shifting Sands**

**PH/YGO crossover**

**Summary: **The one with the golden eyes is the destined one says the Prophet of Anubis. The one with two golden eyes and raven locks. A sealed heart, a quest, an ancient treasure.

**Warnings:** boyxboy blood death violent themes ect

**Pairings:** Thiefshipping/Deathshipping GilxOz AdaxVincent BreakxSharon (The rest you can request)

__**Notes:** There are duel monsters but instead the monsters on the cards are summoned from the abyss when dueling. The contract is on the card instead of the person and only 10% of the power can be used. Unlike with real contracts who have the contract personalized for them only and can see their chains in any situation.__

There are the dark sides (Yamis) but instead they are different people, rather than souls trapped in items.

* * *

><p><strong>Sablier, present time<strong>

Oz.

Was.

Not.

Happy.

Gilbert's body had never even been found! Oz growled in irritation. Was Gilbert even alive? He just… vanished! It had been a month and everyone else who was sane would've left him to his own devices, but he was extremely lonely. Alice didn't know what to do with him, really.

"Oz, I know he's gone! Accept it and just let me in!" She called from outside the room. He frowned. Alice didn't deserve this kind of treatment, but he was so worried…

"No, no. Alice my friend, let me handle this! We have new information on Raven's location, dearest OZ!" Sharon called from outside the door. Ugh. Oz buried his head into his knees. He was so tired, he didn't want to deal with this right now.

Loosing Gil was hard enough. Knowing that he was dead, and never coming back, it hurt so much that he'd literally shut down. Oz sighed.

"I'll come out, okay?" He called. He gave himself a moment to regain fully control over his tired limbs before he opened the door.

Alice hugged him on the spot. "I was so worried! I was so so so worried, Oz!"

As you should've been. I'm your link to the outside world, aren't I? I'm your warmth, the reason you're out of the cold and regaining your memories. You owe me. But… as selfish as I'd love to be and think that was the only reason I know it's not true. You care about me, don't you… Oz thought as he hugged her back.

"I'm sorry… It's so hard. I've never really lost him before…" Oz whimpered. "Even when I was in the abyss he was always there waiting for me. Now he's… gone."

"No! Seaweed head can't be gone!" Alice protested. "He was there for you always. He promised you forever! He owes you forever and I'll kill him if he breaks his promise."

"We did find information on him." Sharon broke in. She twirled a lock of hair around her slender finger. Her rosy lips were pressed together in a frown.

As eager as Oz was to find out exactly what this information was, he let himself be lead into the tea room first. He observed the surroundings before taking a seat. It was a bright day, sunny and cheerful. It made him feel tired and old. Weary of life. It was for those with younger souls.

"What… did you find on Gil?" Oz asked after the brief silence. He took a sip of his cup of tea. It tasted slightly salty. No one knew how exactly he liked his tea more than Gil.

Sharon took a seat on the chair across from him daintily. "The will of the abyss has taken him. Where and when he is are unknown. All we know is that she's taunting us, asking where our lost raven has gone. When we will go to retrieve him. She knows."

"That means a bargain with that bitch." Alice hissed. She snorted, crossing her red coated arms. The little white diamonds on her jacket stood out more than usual, or maybe Oz's eyes were too adjusted to the gray of his room.

"A bargain I'm willing to make. I don't care if I have to loose time, I will not let Gilbert go if he's truly still alive!" Oz argued. He really didn't know if he could live without his best friend, his special some one who trusted and relied on more than anyone else. He did have Alice, but Gilbert, although not more important, was important in a different way. A taking each breath way.

Alice backed down. She missed him too, he knew she did. He was like her big brother, her rival, and that meant that she was still having a hard time coping with the loss.

He smiled encouragingly at her.

"If he's not dead, then we can get him back from whenever and where ever he is. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere or doing anything stupid just to get him back." Just where ever and whenever that was necessary.

"Good, I was worried for a second that you would make a dumb deal that would end up with you dead and in the wrong place and time." Alice smiled. Oz really loved her smiles. They made him feel warm. He felt very cold right now.

As much as he loved Alice, she was more like a sister. A wonderful little sister. She could light up a whole room, but if things ever became dark and cold, she'd become that way too.

Oz needed to be protected more than he knew… And Gil was his protector. If Alice was his sun, then Gil was his mood. Constantly there, giving off a soft light that could only really be seen in the darkest of days, not giving it it's true beauty a good comparison.

Oz snapped back to the present and he tried to listen to the pretty girls talking about the future with hushed voices.

"A deal? What would she want?"

"… she'd want Jack." Oz interrupted. "She's in love with him after all."

Alice's face turned to fury. Ah… she was in love with Jack too. Oz smiled at her. She huffed and turned away.

"I don't think slavery is the best idea." She grumbled. Her eyebrow twitched as she said it, Oz thought it was decidedly cute.

"It's not slavery, it's time together. That's all she wanted before. What he does is his choice, you know." Sharon answered, her eyes twinkled with the scent of love. She knew love was in the air whenever spring came. The birds began chirping, and Sharon started playing matchmaker.

"Now, now." Oz laughed. "Let's not fight. Let's see what she wants. Let's just use Pandora's doors to get to the abyss and talk to her. She'll make a deal with us for certain."

* * *

><p>Making a deal wasn't as simple as Oz made it seem. Alyss was so deep in the abyss that finding her was proving impossible. Sending Alice through that place was cruel, but she was a chain, and Alyss was connected to her.<p>

Oz stared after her, into the darkness.

"How's it going?" He called. Alice didn't respond. He sighed. Oz wished finding Gil was simpler.

"OZ! I found a door! You guys get in here!" Alice called, after a few minutes of silence. Oz motioned for Sharon to keep Eques in his shadow, before he started down the pathway into the darkness.

Alice wasn't hard to find in here. All he had to do was focus. On one of his best friends and it was easy to find her.

He felt his feet lead the way to where Alice was waiting for him. She scoffed.

"You're late. Com'n, let's go!" She called, flinging open the door to Alyss's tea party. The dolls that adorned the walls chattered at their arrival.

"We're been waiting!" Alyss cackled. "A lost raven is the prize of my challenges. Or at least, the key to finding him!"

Oz stiffened. He didn't like her immediately. How could she hurt Alice like she did? Alice was her twin! He tried not to loose all of his charm in anger.

"Okay bitch. We'll let you spend some time with Jack, and then you give us this key. No challenges." Alice demanded. She stomped her foot down in anger.

"But the challenges make it so our dear Gilbert doesn't fail on his own journey." Alyss smiled, and poured Earl Grey into her floating tea cup. It adjusted to avoid spilling the scalding hot liquid. Alice raised an eyebrow. Oz mimicked her to the dot. Alyss just laughed more and mini tea cups started dancing around her.

"My special treat. Listen closely now!" Alyss cackled. An eerie sound drifted by their ears, what might've been music. Oz watched as Alyss began to sing.

"~_In a place, far away from here  
><em>_but in a different time,  
><em>_lives a pharaoh kind yet cold  
><em>_his lands living off his pride.  
><em>

_His first lover was kind and sweet,  
><em>_but she was not his type.  
><em>_His second lover was a cheater  
><em>_with the high priest last night.  
><em>_And so he sent them on a journey  
><em>_to a land barren cold,  
><em>_along with those adventurers  
><em>_that their fortune he hath sold.  
><em>

_They all were looking to find a certain book,  
><em>

_there were merely 6 of them yet 8 lives were took._

_There was a young thief, proudest and clever  
><em>_His connections that he could not sever  
><em>_There was a young priest, friend or foe  
><em>_His mind being shared by another  
><em>_And then there was our dashing hero  
><em>_The one with black locks and golden eyes  
><em>

_Add in one small king of games  
><em>_And that made them seven  
><em>_But don't forget the thief's brother  
><em>_Whose life needed just a favor  
><em>

_Then there you have the rumored eight  
><em>_Strongheld in the heart of their cards  
><em>_Will they succeed in finding the key  
><em>_The ending of this tale not written is a mystery.~"_

"You sent him to the past!" Oz exclaimed. "Why the hell is he in the past? The pharaohs of Egypt have long since perished!"

Alice jumped up. "Gilbert has nothing to do with this bullshit! Tell us how to get him back here! Seaweed head will die without my manservant!" Oz chuckled innerly at Alice's antics. So cute. Yet, they had a job at hand.

"If you want to help your little Raven, then follow my instructions. There's no room for conversation." Alyss demanded.

They nodded, and went silent. Saving Gilbert was their top priority.

"I saved him from death, because he had a destiny. The gods told me so. I sent him back in time to Egypt to fulfill it. But I know he was important to both of you, so I'm being generous and giving you the chance to help him back here." Alyss told them, fingering the rim of her china tea cup. It had little blue flowers on it. A pleasing design.

"So now I have prepared these impossible challenges that only a miracle can let you perform. I will send you into different times and places just so you can complete them. There is a list, and it cannot be changed. I will not cheat." Alyss smirked at them as a board appeared behind her. "Once I decide you can know the challenge, it will appear on those boards."

Two identical chalk boards appeared in front of Oz and Alice. They shook them, and rubbed them, but nothing appeared on them.

Alyss continued smirking triumphantly. "Next, you will sign your names, so you must complete these challenges."

Oz held his hand out for the papers that materialized as she spoke. They gracefully floated into his palm. The chalk made his signature look like chicken scratch. He handed the papers to Alice expectantly. She nodded, tongue sticking out as she signed her name as well.

"Good. Now. Have fun saving Break's life!" Alyss waved cheerfully as the whole abyss trembled and spit them out.

* * *

><p>The white walls, the white shirt, the red blood. Oz trembled, looking at his hands. He didn't remember how he got there, why he was wearing a lab coat, or why he was holding a bloodstained knife.<p>

The person lay dead on the operating table.

"Good, Dr. Oz. A clean operation. We'll now sew the body back up and get it back to the morgue." His assistant, Alice, said as calmly as she could. They both were lost.

They knew everything they were, but it felt like another life piled on top of who they were. Oz was a forensic doctor. Alice was his assistant. They were looking for traces of hydrochloric acid in his stomach, because that was his suspected cause of death.

Oz was a fifteen year old boy, and Alice was the B-Rabbit. She was a chain, and he was her contractor. The time was ticking away on the seal marked on his chest. They had to save his friend Gilbert from being killed a second time in ancient Egypt. They were not doctors.

"Your next patient will be here tomorrow. Let's take a break." Alice stammered. She was just as confused as he was.

The both walked out of the white room, into a white hall, into another white room filled with long tables and a counter. A lab, maybe. Oz washed his hands and forearms of the dead man's blood. It made him feel filthy, although it was a part of his… this every day job. Alice stared down at her clipboard.

"Why did Alyss send us here, and what was that about saving the clown's life?" She asked, glancing around nervously.

Oz looked at his watch. "It's late, Alice. I'm sure we're the only ones still here other then the poor custodians who have to cart the bodies back and forth."

"Well I didn't know what I was doing!" She spit back in her defense. Cute, definitely cute.

"I don't either." He agreed.

The doors burst open and a young custodian, she looked strangely like… Sharon? A young custodian ran inside carrying the body of… Break. So that's what Alyss meant. She panted desperately.

"Please save my oni-san! I know you two usually operate on dead bodies, but he needs care now! Please!" She pleaded, the overly large body weighing down her toothpick arms.

Oz stared at Alice. They'd never operated at all. They had no idea what they were doing. But if they didn't, Break would die… They made up their decision quickly. Oz pulled on a pair of gloves, and he grabbed Break's unconscious body and hoisted it up on to the table.

Alice pulled on another pair of gloves and she went over to Sharon, who'd started sobbing. "Shh… Your oni-san will be fine. Doctor Oz knows what he's doing. This might take a while, so why don't you go and wait in the other room? The smell does get strong."

Oz grabbed the shirt, a white button down, that Break was wearing and ripped it off. The bullet wound in his stomach was clear from the blood. At least it didn't seem to deep. The bullet was still lodged in there.

Oz would have to go around the main organs, to the affected one, and remove the bullet as well as repair the damaged organ.

If only he knew how to do such a thing.

Alice placed the breathing machine over his mouth before making him swallow knock out pills. They also slowed his heart down until it beat about once a minute. He was already unconscious but if he woke up to the painful operation in the middle, it'd be dangerous for all of them.

Oz closed his eyes. Why? This was impossible! He didn't want to kill Break!

"_Hey, Gil! Hmm? What are you doing?" Oz leaned down to see what exactly the Nightray was doing. He was holding a small dog in his lap._

_There was a bloody hole there. Oz shuddered. Gilbert didn't look up from whatever he was doing._

"_I'm saving this puppy's life. The kids were throwing rocks at it. One of the hit so hard it embedded itself into it's stomach. Poor thing." Gilbert stroked the dog's head gently while the other hand gingerly pulled out the rock in it's stomach._

"_Why didn't you just leave it there?" Oz asked._

_Gilbert glanced up. "Say, if I got shot in the stomach, would you just leave me there? No, you'd do your best to save me. Just remove the rock, and sew it back up. The little guy will be hurt and might die, but at least without this rock he can heal up."_

_Oz smiled. He leaned down and petted the puppy as well._

Oz blinked. Where did that memory come from? Then he glanced down at Break. Well, just remove the rock, sew the wound up, and then help him heal. Not too difficult.

"Alice, open the wound some more and clean it of blood. I'll remove the bullet and look for internal damage."

Alice nodded, and she poised the knife, trembling, over Break's gray and purple mottled stomach. Oz knew how terrifying it was to think of. Then her hand plunged and the slicing sound was so terribly disgusting that both of them had to hold their breaths.

Oz went in with a rather disturbing looking pair of tweezers. He poked around the intestines. Oh, good. They all looked like the bullet had passed them by. The rest of everything else also didn't seem terribly damaged. Bare scratched at all.

It was something of a miracle. The bullet at pierced skin, and then dove down, avoiding all organs and stopping right before Break's kidney. Oz tried to use the tweezers to remove it. It was stuck.

"Alice! I need your help! You have to pull out the bullet, I can't!" Oz called to her. Every minute was ticking away at Break's life.

Alice had her hands over her eyes, terrified of all the blood and death. Oz felt his heart break a little inside, seeing the normally enthusiastic girl frozen in fear. She herself had died once before. "Alice! I need you, you can't shut down now! Com'n, Alice!" He begged. She shook her head vigorously.

"I can't! I can't! He'll die, Break's going to die, it's all my fault, I wish I had never left the abyss, I'm so scared! Oz!" She cried.

Oz tried again, with all his might, to rip the bullet from Break's slowly dying body. Still stuck. Alice's inhuman strength was their only option. "Alice! You have to! You have to be strong!"

"I'm so scared!" She protested, collapsing to her knees. "I hate death! I hate it! I hate this I hate this I hate this!"

"Alice! Be strong!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to her feet. "Look me in the eyes."

She looked up a fraction, her violet eyes showing how terrified she really was. He held her gaze. "You can't give up. We can save Break. I just need your help. We can do this!" She glanced at the body. Break's body was taking shallow breaths. His skin was turning bluish gray. The operation had to end soon, or else he'd die. She looked back to Oz. Then she nodded slowly.

"The clown won't die on me now!" She grabbed the tweezers and ripped the bullet from his stomach in one try. Oz cheered.

He grabbed the stitching thread, and he sewed Break's body back up. Oz was clumsy with the needle, but he managed to pull the wound together and to tie of the thread without making it any worse. Alice watched with a lingeringly fearful expression, but she didn't break down again, much to Oz's relief.

Once they cleaned Break of blood once again, they placed him on a clean table. Alice went to Sharon to tell her that Break had survived the operation and when the professionals arrived tomorrow they would do more for him.

Oz watched as Break's one red eye opened.

"Thank you. Now you have to save our friend." Oz could've sworn Break just mouthed that, before the entire dimension collapsed.

* * *

><p>Alice and Oz where standing back in Alyss's room. The board in their hands began revealing the first challenge. They blinked and looked around, but Alyss herself was no where to be seen.<p>

"That was a nightmarish hell." Alice muttered.

"I hope we saved Break. I hated watching his skin turn blue." Oz agreed. The board in their hands flashed. They both looked down.

It said, in glowing blue letters, pity. And then, suddenly, another flash. Pity was crossed off. "Pity? Our challenge was our pity?" Alice asked. "Does that taste good?"

"No, I don't think pity is good tasting. It's an emotion. Since… Gilbert felt sorry for that dog all those months ago, so he saved it. And since he did that, our challenge was to do the same…?" Oz pondered.

"Now we wait for Alyss to give us another one then. Stupid broad." Alice scoffed.

Oz nodded and rubbed his hands. Why had he remembered that? Why did saving Gilbert had something to do with saving Break from a gunshot wound? Oz buried his head in his hands. He was so lost without Gil… How could he possibly survive the rest of the challenges if that was the first one?

* * *

><p><strong>A shorter chapter, I know. But knowing that most people don't actually read this sort of thing, I'm not too bothered by it. You can request challenges for Oz and Alice to do, btw. They have a shit load of crap Alyss has assigned them. So yay!<strong>

**Oh, and there should be a link to a picture of Ancient Egypt!Gilbert I drew on my profile under Shifting Sands. Links here take way too long to post. Free for coloring, by the way.**

**Preview:**

_"...The girls to be conqubines, and the boys to be gladiators in the land across the seas. Roma." Joey patted the girl's chubby cheek lovingly. _

**Review?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Shifting Sands**

**PH/YGO crossover**

**Summary: **The one with the golden eyes is the destined one says the Prophet of Anubis. The one with two golden eyes and raven locks. A sealed heart, a quest, an ancient treasure.

**Warnings:** boyxboy blood death violent themes ect

**Pairings:** Thiefshipping/Deathshipping GilxOz AdaxVincent BreakxSharon (The rest you can request)

**Notes:** There are duel monsters but instead the monsters on the cards are summoned from the abyss when dueling. The contract is on the card instead of the person and only 10% of the power can be used. Unlike with real contracts who have the contract personalized for them only and can see their chains in any situation.

There are the dark sides (Yamis) but instead they are different people, rather than souls trapped in items.

* * *

><p>Gilbert glanced over the children laying on the cots. Ryou was being healed, Seth trying to perform a miracle to save the boy. Bakura was passed out on one of the shabbier cots, with Malik next to him, breathing shallowly. Malik, where ever he had been during that escapade, gained a large wound on his back. Gilbert could see blood seeping from the bandages.<p>

Yugi, the boy he'd dueled in the tournament, was still being untied. He must've put up a fight before being taken. All of them had been heavily drugged. It was no surprise that all the children were out like a light.

Among the unconscious bodies lay Serenity, who was Joey's little sister. She had been bound and gagged. Joey stroked her long brunette hair gingerly, with her head on his lap.

Gilbert walked over to the two of them. "What exactly happened? With the slave traders." He demanded.

"They tried to take the young healthy children we have here, into slavery. The girls to be concubines, and the boys to be gladiators in the land across the seas. Roma." Joey patted the girl's chubby cheek lovingly.

"Oh. Why not somewhere else? Less obvious." Gilbert asked.

"If it weren't for Bakura, they would've gotten away with it. How does he know this sort of thing?" Joey smiled.

Gilbert crossed his arms. "Because he cares about his brother."

Joey glared at him a little. Gilbert almost jumped at the fierce quality in his eyes. "Are ya saying I don't care about Serenity?"

It was sort've what Gilbert had been thinking. Joey was a servant, he probably slept right next to his little sister during the evenings. Bakura's sleeping arrangements weren't something Gilbert knew, but he was sure that Joey was right next to Serenity when the kidnapping happened. If Joey really cared about Serenity, wouldn't he have noticed right away when she was taken? He probably only kept her around because of their family ties and he didn't actually care about her.

"I never said anything of the sort." Gilbert answered easily. It was a lie, how simple it was to say. He got the feeling that before all of this, he'd told his own fair share of lies. He didn't really mind that either. He felt like somehow, he'd lost his own personality in all of this.

Joey jumped up, his face full of fury. Serenity's head fell back to her pillow, and somehow this made Gilbert even more sure of how not close these siblings were. Did Gilbert even have any siblings?

He might've…

"Here, let me tell you this!" Joey's voice interrupted him from his thoughts. "What I DO for her! I do a lot of things! I have to please the pharaoh every night, and he's not gentle to me! Anzu liked it rough but I don't enjoy letting myself be raped by him just so she can stay near Seth so he can heal her eyes! Just because I can't get to know her, or sleep by her side, or anything like that doesn't mean I don't care! Because if I didn't care, I would run away from here in a second!"

Joey… wasn't Atem's lover by choice? He only let Atem use him so his sister could have her eyes healed by Seth? Gilbert suddenly felt terrible for thinking that Joey had no love for his sister.

Joey seemed to realize he'd forgotten Serenity in his anger and Gilbert saw the pure guilt. He regretted not knowing the two of them better.

"I'd run away with Seth and Serenity and we'd be one happy family. For the first time I'd actually be able to take care of her… and I could be a farmer or a stable master for a noble man in a far away land where the Pharaoh could never find us…" Joey said solemnly as he sat down and took Serenity's head back into his lap.

Gilbert towered over the two of them. "Seth? Why would the High Priest go with you?"

Joey turned red. "He-he needs to tend to Serenity's eyes. She's going blind without his help." Gilbert could taste the lie.

"I highly doubt he'd run away with you just to continue treating her eyes." Gilbert stated dully.

"Well, he… uh… you caught me... but I can't tell you! It's forbidden!" Joey's eyes showed fear. What had he been up to? Gilbert uncrossed his arms.

"It won't be told from my lips. Your secret is safe with me." The raven haired man promised, holding out his hand to prove his honesty. Joey looked around, cautious. They were alone, as they'd previously thought.

All the other servants had gone to bed.

"I guess I can trust you with this. Seth… fancies me. One time when the Pharaoh was too rough on me, I went to him for help. He healed me and then he taught me positions that could make it easier and less painful to bed the Pharaoh with."

Gilbert nodded as Joey's bangs dropped into his eyes as he talked. Despite the sandy hairs making it difficult for Gilbert to see them, he could tell that Joey's eyes were full of love as he told his story.

"Somehow, I kept coming back to him for advice and help with my problems. Then I told him about Serenity's eyes, and he agreed to heal her. Before I knew it, we were somewhat of a dysfunctional couple." Joey ended wistfully, his hand returning to stroking Serenity's hair.

"But if you are found out, the Pharaoh will-" Gilbert started, but the tanned teenager interrupted him.

"At worst, he'll kill me and Serenity. At best, we'll probably be banished from Egypt forever. I don't want to think of it, it's so horrible. Seth would have to stay behind here, because as he's the High Priest, he can do no wrong." Joey said worriedly, looking around again for some sign of eavesdroppers.

The palace was quiet. Not even a mouse would go unnoticed by the two of them.

From what Gilbert had heard of the high priest, he wasn't the loving type. He was a stoic and dark man, tall with broad shoulders. He was what some called a blessing and some called a demon, but no one could deny that he was a miracle maker. The fact that Ryou was still alive meant for certain that he was able to work magic.

Gilbert ruffled Joey's hair. "I've got to go get some good sleep before tomorrow. Tomorrow I have to pack and say my goodbyes to everyone before I leave the day after. I will make sure to give you and your sister the best of luck." He said with a slight bit of affection.

He really did wish the best for the two of them.

* * *

><p>Atem had called them all in for an emergency meeting the day after the kidnapping. Bakura, Malik, and Gilbert were all requested to attend, so here Malik was, standing in attention waiting for a few more members to arrive. What a strange group, Atem wanted to be here.<p>

Joey stood nervously attentive. Anzu seemed triumphant, and in Atem's lap lay Yugi, who looked almost as nervous as Joey, and also about twice as curious.

Gilbert seemed as emotionless as ever, while Bakura was fidgeting at the sight of the riches in the room. Malik wanted to hit him, but he knew that Bakura was worried and off edge. His strange fetish for anything of value wasn't being as restrained as it usually was.

Ryou lay on a cot, coughing while that bastard Seth dabbed at his wounds with a wet towel. Malik tried to not growl. He hated learning things from that bastard. He was a heartless user.

The only one they were waiting for was the High Priestess Isis. And as much as Malik loved Ishizu, he hated her as "High Priestess Isis." When had he lost his sweet older sister to the monster of the temple? When did she change her name to Isis to prove her loving for that stupid god? When did she becoming that domineering bitch?

Malik tried to calm himself. Ishizu wasn't gone, he knew his older sister was in there somewhere. He just didn't know where or how to get her back out. Malik watched as his sister brushed inside the room with a regal look. Malik missed the days when she hadn't been so grand.

"I'm here. Let us proceed." Isis sat down primly next to Malik. He tried not to glare at her.

Atem tapped his fingers irritatedly. He seemed off edge. Malik didn't really care about Atem, but the Pharaoh was the Pharaoh, after all. One always cared about men in power.

"I'm here to discuss the betrayal of my two most loved. Let Isis pass on judgment to the accused from my whims." Atem stared directly at Joey, who stiffened and his eyes hardened.

Isis stood up and dragged both Anzu and Joey to their feet. Malik's eyes widened. What could have they done bad enough to need witnesses to their crimes? From what he knew, Joey was just some annoying lover of the Pharaoh and Anzu was a total bitch.

"You two have been banished from this land for lies to his Majesty, the Pharaoh. Joey Wheeler, your little act of being a one Jounouchi Katsuya has displeased the Pharaoh. He always knew that you two were one and the same, but he didn't expect that Jounouchi would go so far as to be unfaithful to his Majesty."

Joey jumped up. "I'm banished from Egypt because you're a horny little bastard who told me I had one of two choices, give up my life or give up my sister's! I chose my life, and now you're going to penalize me for trying to live once again?" He screamed. The silence afterwards was deafening.

Joey stood there, panting from yelling so loudly. Atem looked honestly entirely shocked at his outburst. Gilbert had lowered his eyes and his mouth was set in a frown. Isis looked so furious that Malik was even a little scared.

Bakura was glaring defiantly at Atem, and Malik felt his heart agree with the albino. Joey might not be either of their friends, but Joey had helped save Ryou and he had woken up the guards in the middle of the night with complete understanding. He didn't deserve to be banished. Not for something so stupid.

Who cared? It wasn't as if they were married! Atem needed his head re-screwed…

The silence was broken by the loud smack of Joey's unconscious body hitting the floor. Isis had her staff raised, and her blue eyes were so hard that they had turned black. Ishizu would never have hit him like that.

Malik jumped up, feeling his anger fuel his magic. It boiled in his blood, and he found it all too easy to whisper the enchantments and create a brilliant shimmering force field. It surrounded Joey like an eggshell.

Isis turned her eyes to him like a viper. "You… are protecting this man of treason?" She hissed. Malik hadn't even noticed when Gilbert and Bakura moved to stand beside him.

"We are protecting our friend." They answered in unison. Malik smiled. Friends… of course they were friends.

Atem decided to step in. "Everyone, drop all shields and weapons in my presence. Or I will make sure all of you will be duly punished." He commanded, to regain control of the crowd.

Malik knew better than to defy the Pharaoh's direct commands. And he didn't want to do anything quite as stupid as that. He waited first, for Isis to drop her staff. Once she had, he let the shield around Joey shimmer down and fade. Gilbert removed his hand from the bow on his back, and Bakura let his fists remain fists.

They all sat back down.

"Anzu is also punished. We don't except squealers here, now that I know I can't trust you, you must be removed from Egypt as well. You know too much."

Malik was just about to jump up and protest this, but Gilbert's golden glare made him merely fidget in his seat rather than make more of a scene.

"My lord", Gilbert began. "Why not let Anzu and Joey come with us on our journey. If they survive to tell the tale, then they are heroes and should be wiped clean of all punishment. We could greatly use their help."

That's right! Malik grinned. What a brilliant idea! If Joey and Anzu came with them, they'd live for sure and then they'd be allowed back in Egypt instead of the certain death that came with the blistering desert. Gilbert was a genius!

"Let them serve you on your journey?" Isis snarled. "A couple of liars and snitches?"

Bakura spit on her dress indiscreetly. Malik watched as she felt the glob of saliva hit her, and his sister who was never afraid of dealing with several dirty boys all at once freak out over the smallest bit of spit... Serves her right.

"Very well. If you will have them, then they are allowed to go with you. I will erase them of their charges once they return safely." Atem decided. Yugi stirred on his lap. The shorter tri-color haired teen woke up drowsily and sat up.

He rubbed his eyes before observing the scene.

"JOU?" He shouted, worried for his friend. He jumped up in a flurry and he ran over to the sandy haired teenager. Joey lay on the ground where he'd fallen after Isis's blow to his head.

It wasn't serious. Just enough to knock out the servant boy. Malik wasn't too worried, but Yugi seemed scared enough.

"Jou, are you alright? What's going on here?" Yugi looked around.

"This is a royal council, and you are in the presence of the Pharaoh." Atem announced, in almost a bragging way. So he wanted to impress Yugi. It wasn't working, apparently.

"You hurt Jou!" Yugi protested. "I don't care who you are, I'll challenge you to a shadow game! I don't care if you're the pharaoh or a common thief, you don't go hurting my friends!"

Malik liked Yugi more and more with each word. Bakura was wihtholding some inner cheering as well. Tell it to that bitch, Yugi!

"I'm the pharaoh and I command you to stop thinking irrationally. Attack me and I'll be forced to banish you too!" Atem demanded, obviously rather shaken. His lighter mini scowled and sputtered at this though.

He knew that his exile wouldn't lead to anything but more problems for Jou. So he kept his mouth shut. Instead, he opted for grabbing his deck and holding out the dark magician. "I won't let you do this!"

Gilbert spoke up again. "Allow us one more, to come along with us. Let us bring Yugi along. He's smart and quick on his feet. We will make sure no harm comes to him. And plus, this way he is banished and yet not. No one can say you went back on your word."

Yugi looked back at him and recognized Gilbert instantly from their match earlier that week. Malik grinned. And what an epic match that had been. Yugi recognized him too. Malik wasn't such a bad card player that he'd never faced off with Yugi. Needless to say he'd never won.

"I agree." Yugi said with a more confident look in his eyes. "I haven't done anything wrong yet, so let me get out of your hair, which obviously copies mine."

Atem looked partly defeated and partly like he was loosing his newest toy right after he bought it. Serves him right. Malik scoffed.

"I cannot command your every action-"

Yugi interrupted him easily. "I might come back to you if you stop being an asshole after all this is over… maybe."

"But Yugi, I lo-"

"Save those words for someone you can tell them to without lying. I'm leaving with Jou and them." Yugi hissed. Atem looked absolutely shell-shocked.

Gilbert picked Joey into his arms and walked out the door without even Atem's permission. Bakura waited for Malik to walk through the door before he left. Anzu followed silently, resigned to her fate.

* * *

><p>Bakura stopped the platinum blonde Egyptian before he walked in his rooms. "Where'd you get all that power?"<p>

"Where'd I get what?" Malik asked, his innocent eyes confused. It could've fooled almost anyone in the world but Bakura was an excellent sniffer of lies. Malik was lying.

"Where'd you learn to make a shield that strong? If you didn't notice, you smacked Anzu in the face when it was first forming and she still has a red mark! Isis should've easily broken it with her magic, so what the HELL ARE YOU HIDING FROM ME?" Bakura spit.

Malik blinked owlishly a few times before grabbing Bakura's hand and dragging him all the way into his rooms. Bakura was hissing and sputtering the whole way, but Malik stopped him right before his bedroom mirror. Bakura stared at it, then back to Malik.

"Show me what the hell is going on with you." Bakura commanded. Malik would've laughed, since servants don't order their masters around.

Malik didn't laugh, he merely pulled off his shirt obediently and turned around to all Bakura could see was his back.

The scars were brand new. Bakura could read fine, but it was like reading old English. The hieroglyphs were old and told of tales long past and of magic. They had been carved into his back… who was the fucked monster that would carve something like this into a child's back? Who?

Bakura balled his hands up into fists. "Malik… who carved that into your back?" His voice was soft and the question wasn't said quickly or harshly.

Malik pulled his shirt back on before turning back to Bakura. "My father. But don't worry, he's dead now."

Bakura glared at Malik, eyes to eye. "Your father carved this into your back in the last few days. I've only known you for 3 days. I saw you naked the first day, as you seem to have fucking shame, and those weren't there. They're new."

"I did receive a tombkeeper's incitation the night you rescued Ryou. I have the tale of the Pharaoh carved in my back. He's going to loose himself soon, but don't fret about that since everything he needs or wants is carved on my back." Malik said just as softly before one of his blond eyebrows raised. "Since when did you get as tall as me?"

"I was less than an inch before, and I grow fast." Bakura lifted the priest's robe to show that he wasn't standing on his tiptoes either.

Malik smirked. "If you end up taller than me, I'll be greatly upset. You're so much younger than me."

"It's less than a years difference if you must know. I don't know exactly but Rou and I decided that our birthday was on September 2nd. Yours is…?" Bakura stood next to him, as if sizing him up.

"December 23rd. You're right, we're less than a year apart. Unless you're 12, Bakura."

"I'm not 12." Bakura scowled. "It's 12 and a half. I think. I can only remember 8 years at most. Sometimes 9."

Malik snorted. "I'm 13 turning 14, and you're 12 turning 13. We're more than a year apart I'd say."

"When I'm 13 you'll still be." Bakura pointed out.

"Only for 3 months or so!" Malik protested.

"But still when I'm the same age, and slightly taller since you know I will be, you'll consider me, then." The albino smirked, pulling the tan skinned Egyptian close and running his fingers through Malik's side bangs.

"C-consider?" He stuttered.

"Please do." Bakura grinned, before he left the shocked Egyptian in his wake.

* * *

><p>The next day, early in the morning, Gilbert was watching a strange scene. The emotionless priest Seth, who was an insane bastard without love, was kissing Joey. Joey's face was glowing red, and Bakura and Malik were making commentary.<p>

"Say, Seth! Let's suck face!" Malik snickered. Joey and Seth were too far away to hear them, thank heavens. Gilbert had run out of things to make them shut up, really.

And love really did seem to be in the air as Yugi struggled with the flowers that Atem had given him, along with the delicacies and the money. Even Malik, who had never shown any signs of wanting any sort of romance with anyone, had outlined his eyes in kohl designs like many of the other native Egyptians. Bakura was sitting easy and he was grinning sardonically. Anzu was dressed in travellers clothes, and none of the travellers wanted to talk to her.

They had said their last goodbyes.

Ryou had cried, begged Bakura to stay, but Bakura pried his hands off and left him anyways. Malik hadn't said anything to Isis. Gilbert didn't have anyone that he'd particularly miss that wasn't coming with him, so he hadn't said goodbye to anyone. This was his journey to get back to the people who mattered, after all.

Anzu had said goodbye to scores of people. Yugi had said good bye to two or three people, but not like Anzu. Every single girl in the palace was there giving her sympathy and admiration. No wonder she could be so irritating.

And Joey was still giving his goodbye to Seth. Consisting of a long string of passionate kisses.

Gilbert eventually pulled Joey away and stashed him in the back of the caravan that they were taking along on their journey. Once everyone had piled inside, Gilbert struck the camel on the side to help them take off. It was a slow, long pace.

They had a ways ahead of them to travel.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello my beloved readers! I loooove you for sticking with this story. Only 4 chapters in and we're already a challenge down and the adventure started! Well guys, here's your preview. <strong>

_Oz wasn't quite sure what he was doing. Why was he here? This was a school! And Alice was his girlfriend, so why did he keep thinking he was missing something? What was his true goal! It had been weeks, weeks since he'd started this new life all of a sudden, and his head was so full... did he have a true goal in mind? _

**So that's it! It outlines the next chapter a bit too well, but hopefully that's an incentive to keep on reading. And sorry all GilxOz supporters, there will be some Oz/Alice to help the plot go along. But it doesn't last, no worries. Review and I'll love you forever. Requests for subplots or happenings are always considered and adored. C: Love you guys!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Shifting Sands**

**PH/YGO crossover**

**Summary: **The one with the golden eyes is the destined one says the Prophet of Anubis. The one with two golden eyes and raven locks. A sealed heart, a quest, an ancient treasure.

**Warnings:** boyxboy blood death violent themes ect

**Pairings:** Thiefshipping/Deathshipping GilxOz AdaxVincent BreakxSharon (The rest you can request)

**Notes:** There are duel monsters but instead the monsters on the cards are summoned from the abyss when dueling. The contract is on the card instead of the person and only 10% of the power can be used. Unlike with real contracts who have the contract personalized for them only and can see their chains in any situation.

There are the dark sides (Yamis) but instead they are different people, rather than souls trapped in items.

* * *

><p>Oz and Alice had a while to wait and regain some calm. "The tasks will only get harder." They had to remind themselves, while gorging out on the cake. Oz knew that Alice was doubting herself too. Maybe far more than he was.<p>

At least he had some understanding of Gil. Alice was lost without any hope of understanding him. They hadn't known each other long enough or well enough to do so.

"You two ready?" Alyss's voice startled them out of their slowly returning calm. "For your next challenge?"

"Heck ya, bitch!" Alice pumped her fist in the air proudly. Oz nodded solemnly. What could their task be this time? What was the next horrible thing that Alyss had concocted to teach them whatever lesson it was she thought she needed to teach them? He was dying from curiosity but at the same time, he didn't want to think of it.

"Okay but I'm warning you… This one is much harder than your last, but it's hard in an more emotionally stressful way."

Oz felt a tremor run through his body. Would someone actually die this time? But these thoughts made him weak, him soft. He needed to work his hardest, do his best, because all he had was a strong will. Alice could only help him here. He could only help Alice.

They both waited, feeling the tense moment of anticipation burn through them. Alyss just smiled, saying one last thing.

"You'll start going mad, but don't worry! We're all mad here."

* * *

><p>Oz looked around. He was wearing a high school uniform, standing next to Alice, who was doing just the same as he was.<p>

Oz wasn't quite sure what he was doing. Why was he here? This was a school! And Alice was his girlfriend, so why did he keep thinking he was missing something? What was his true goal!

Then reality sunk in again. The truth returned. This was another challenge.

They knew who they were in this reality quite well. He was Oz Vessalius, the most popular boy in school. And she was Alice Baskerville, the regenade gangster who ran the school. They looked at each other again.

"I'm dating you?" Alice asked, with her eye twitching a little bit.

Oz nodded, sticking his tongue out in disgust. "You're way too far entrenched in the friend zone to date!"

Alice laughed. "Glad the feeling's mutual!"

Oz shook his head. "So we just go to school, and keep our eye open for what this challenge might be? Last time she gave us a hint, but all she said this time was that we're all mad here. Maybe we have to help someone with their insanity?"

Alice stroked her chin in thought. "I really don't know either. I'm hungry, I want meat, and I want this challenge to end so I can get myself to a good barbeque."

"Let's get this challenge over with, then." Oz decided, and he took her hand out of curtesy and they began walking forward together.

They didn't realize when they'd finished walking to school. They went, they talked with their supposed 'friends' just like their fake memories dictated.

It had been weeks, weeks since he'd started this new life, and all of a sudden his head was so full… did he have a true goal in mind? Other than saving Gil, what the purpose of the challenge? And school, what they expected to be a one time thing became a two-time thing, and before they knew it, the school semester was over. Nothing had changed, life just continued on. Nothing strange happened.

Oz tried his best to keep his spirits up.

"We'll never beat the challenge unless we find it! Alice, we both agree that our grades here don't matter as much, let's work on that clue! We're all mad here…? What could Alyss have meant?" Oz constantly reminded the both of them.

The rest of the semester flew by faster than Oz thought was possible. And even more time fled. Oz sighed on his bed, approximately a year after the challenge began, with Alice at his side. It was the summer following their freshman year of high school.

"Alice… what are we doing? Gilbert, he's… stuck and we're supposed to be helping him but here we are worrying more about day to day life than how badly he's suffering…" Oz murmured, his thumb subconsciously stroking the back of her hand.

"I don't know any more than you, man-servant." Alice answered honestly. "The last challenge was pity. What's this challenge? How do we beat it? I don't know, I'm just as lost as you are."

Oz rolled over. "Whatever it is, it's taking so much time! I can't stand doing nothing here. Not knowing where to go, what to do. At least before we knew we had to save Break's life, but here we have no idea where we're supposed to be heading or where we're meant to go!"

Alice nodded, drifting off to sleep in the late hours of the hot summer afternoon.

Oz watched the ceiling impatiently. And he did so for the rest of the summers he endured during high school. He expected it to only be a one-time thing, summer. He waited two more through impatiently.

It was the last summer following his Junior year, that he finally put his foot down. Oz grabbed Alice and dragged her into his room, onto his bed like the two past summers he'd done so.

"We're wasting time! It's been three years! Gil, Gil's already lived in the past for three years, he's 27 now! What if we don't find him until he's already 30? What if we waste more time? The life expectancy back then is not much higher than 30! What if he's already dead?" Oz sobbed, shaking Alice's shoulders.

She was already breaking down, leaning into his shoulder. Alice sobbed. "So much time! What are we even doing, Oz? I'm scared, so scared for seaweed head! I thought we'd be helping him on this challenge, not pretending to be in love with each other, not doing my makeup every day, not commanding around some gang! I want to gooo hoooomeee!"

They sat there, in their little world. The feelings of guilt, hopelessness sunk into both of their stomachs. "What did I do wrong?" Oz asked. Alice asked herself the same question.

He expected it to be a one time thing. But for the next two years, he constantly asked it to himself. He asked it in his high school graduation, while he cried that four years had past with him doing nothing. While he attended his first year of college, while he and Alice broke up their fake relationship since it held no more use, while he learned the specifics about Newton's laws of Gravity, he thought about how Gil was trapped, alone… in the past.

He lived in a comfortable cushy apartment. He was paid well from his job and his school was paid for by his parents, his rich stupid parents. He was living the easy life. They both were. They didn't have to worry about living through the next day.

But Gilbert, Gilbert did! The past was so dangerous, so uncontrollable, so horrid. He could be dead. With the amount of time they were taking in the challenge, he probably was dead.

Alice and Oz never really thought about the challenge much anymore. That term paper suddenly was more important, that meeting with his parents, his birthday party. Life continued on.

Oz walked down the street with Alice. They had become colder to each other out of necessity, afraid of loosing the other so much that they spent less time in each other's presence lest they make a mistake.

A visible mistake that had prevented the challenge from being completed. Oz sighed, no longer interested in anything anymore. Why was he living? Five years, and he hadn't done anything more than pretend to flirt with Alice, get good grades in high school, and attend a year of college and go to frat parties.

He hadn't helped Gil. He'd failed.

The thoughts echoed throughout the rest of his years in college, until he graduated three years later with a Bachelor's degree. Alice graduated too, and they decided to move in together.

Gone were the thoughts that they were going to loose each other, and they were replaced with the thoughts that they had as much time as necessary to work things out and that no one blamed the other for how things were going. If they didn't have Gil, they didn't have much at all to rope things together.

They waited still. Oz was working in a laboratory, Alice was his assistant. They continued living, as the guilt ate away at them. Time passed so quickly.

One day out of many, Alice pulled him aside. It was december, of their ninth year since the challenge had begun.

"Oz. Oz, Oz, Oz… I know the challenge." She said, holding his hands tightly with excitement.

Oz blinked. "What challenge?"

It had been so long since they'd thought about it.

"Gilbert, Seaweed-head! The challenge, it's time!"

Oz snapped to attention. "It's time? What the hell do you mean by time? How are we saving Gilbert from the past by time? We've done nothing, we've failed the challenge! We're stuck here, it's impossible!"

Alice slapped him so hard his cheek started bleeding. "HE NEVER GAVE UP ON YOU! He waited ten years to save you, he went through the impossible! You don't realize how long he waited for you, did you? You spent that time in the abyss. In this world, how long have we waited? Nine years so far! We've waited for the possibility of a way to save him, when we didn't realize that we're going through the same thing he did."

Oz felt tears slip over his cheeks, his 24 years old cheeks. "He… waited ten years for m-me…"

Alice gathered him into a hug. "He learned how to live during those years. What are we doing Oz? Exactly what he did. He never gave up on you, but he also had to live. We haven't been trying, we never tried from the moment we started here. Time just scrawled on, let's make this one last year speed on by. There's so much we haven't done!"

Oz threw his head back and laughed. "Let's live a little!"

And the challenge, which had seemed such a hopeless prospect, became less of one. They had much living to catch up with. Gilbert, when he'd waited, had to learn how to live life a rougher way, had to establish a desire to know his distant brother, and last of all, he had to learn about himself and what he really wanted. Alice and Oz, they'd been dragging their feet on.

And so that year they'd tried everything. They lost their jobs, they traveled around the world. Alice adored Italy, Oz felt right at home in England. China had the funniest little customs, but Japan was so serene and so alive at the same time.

Alice ate every type of meat in the world, while Oz indulged in sweets. They talked and laughed constantly, they fought just as often. Oz hated boats, Alice disliked planes. Alice wanted to stay in Italy for more than a week, Oz wanted to move on to Spain.

But they never stopped looking for Gil. Alice had printed out a billion flyers with a crudely drawn picture of him and a description, offering a reward for his safe return.

"There's no abyss here, or else you'd be a chain still. Therefore he's somewhere here, we just have to find him." Oz pointed out, looking through the Missing Persons website. Alice whole-hearted agreed, looking through a list of letters and e-mails they'd received from people searching for Gilbert around the world.

On New Year's eve of their last year, they sat close next to each other, drinking champagne and eating finger foods in New York city, the view of the ball right outside their hotel window.

"That's a good ten years." They echoed.

The last year had been the best. They hadn't found Gilbert, but they knew that they hadn't waited ten years yet. It was still the end of the last year left. Only a few more minutes until New Year and then they'd officially both be 10 years from the beginning of the journey, if not more.

They heard feet running up the stairs, and their pulses quickened. The countdown had begun, and they saw the door swing open. A fourteen year old, with stringy hair and a shy smile stood in the doorway.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry I'm late!" He run straight into the room, and as surprised as they were, they buried themselves into a warm, perfect, loving hug.

The walls faded from around them. Oz and Alice were left just hugging each other, crying helplessly. They were back to being fifteen themselves, and they had never felt more hopeful.

"Gil!" They both wailed, not noticing the checkered floor of Alyss's room in the abyss that they were sitting on.

"Good job. The challenge, time, has been completed." Alyss was clapping, letting them have their moment. They needed it.

The line, time, was crossed off. "You nearly went mad, you poor children."

* * *

><p>Now, Gilbert would never say he hated the desert. But it had been so long since he'd seen a good tree. The hot, sweltering sun was making driving the caravan miserable. He'd never sweat so much in his life.<p>

Malik poked his head out of the closed fabrics meant to keep those inside the caravan from getting too burnt or hot from the sun. "Gil, can I come sit with you?"

Gilbert looked to the empty spot on his left and patted the wooden seat next to him. "Come sit. There's room. Need to talk?"

"Yeah…" Malik climbed out of the back of the wagon, and over the barrier to plop down next to Gilbert. "Isis's directions. Be careful about some of the things she says. I know she'd not be cruel on purpose, but she is very proud. She'll never admit to having made a mistake."

Gilbert nodded. "You seem to know a lot about her."

Malik smirked. "Bitch is my sister. She used to be Ishizu, just named after Isis. But she took up the name after becoming high priestess, and I lost my sister to power. She wanted to create a better world. But she just lost herself instead."

Gilbert thought back to the facial features. Malik and Isis's faces were similar. They had the same intense eyes, and the small mouth. They were the kohl marks underneath their eyes, as was tradition. Bakura, Ryou, Joey, Anzu, and Yugi didn't honor this tradition. Gilbert knew that the marks showed a more powerful status as well.

"I can see the physical resemblance. You are both very…" Gilbert struggled with words, his mind flashing back to green eyes and hair the color of wheat. The mental image clashed with the two siblings he was currently thinking of. Malik had purple eyes and light blond hair that was only golden under the intense sun, as it was now. His skin was paler than Atem's, but somehow more sun-kissed. And Isis had dark hair that she wore long down her back, along with dark blue eyes that captured one's attention.

"Beautiful?" Malik asked. "I've gotten that before. I had a twin brother, you know. They always honored us in the tomb, we were so beautiful. Ishizu, she was still loving, amazing Ishizu, she was our mother when our real one died. Giving birth to twins killed her. My twin, Mariku, died in childhood. I don't remember anything much about him. All I know is that Ishizu would never talk about it. I must've not been older than 3 or 4 when he disappeared into the afterlife."

Gilbert squeezed Malik's shoulder. "That's tough. I have a brother too…"

"_Hi, Vincent." Gilbert said, climbing into their shared bed in the Nightray manor._

_Vincent slowly tore open a stuffed rabbit with scissors. "Hello, big brother."_

"I don't remember his name, but down in the Tomb, we were famous. My father was a tombkeeper and a high priest. He passed away recently. Until I turned 8 years old, I lived in that tomb, unable to see the light of day. Torches were the only source of light I had."

Gilbert stayed silent.

"He was the one I made out to be the villain, since he was strict. Ishizu was the only one to escape punishment. One day, she and I went outside, into the village. And the temple of Isis took her inside, and showed her the priestesshood. She begged Father to join, and she got in. She had always been talented, especially with magics."

"You joined the priesthood then too, didn't you?"

Malik shook his head and laughed. "No way! I hated the priesthood. My father was a high priest, and he symbolized everything I hated. I turned to hate everyone in the priesthood too. I joined later on."

"What made you join?" Gilbert asked quietly, his hands callousing from the reins.

Malik leaned back, smirking. "The magic. I needed to learn the magic. My father, he saw my raw talent, and he enlisted me to learn the magic. He didn't want to waste my talent."

Gilbert remained silent, occasionally glancing over at his riding partner. "I know what it's like to be controlled by familial expectations. I was supposed to change when I…" _When I got adopted into the Nightray family, they wanted me to change into a man of high society. I could no longer act like a servant, play like a servant. I had to be cold, cruel, yet handsome. Desirable. Worthy of the name of Nightray._

Malik let him drift off into silence. "If you can't remember, it's okay. If you do, but you don't want to tell me, that's okay too. I don't care. It's your life. And it's not my business."

* * *

><p>Now, Bakura really hated company. He hated tight spaces. And he hated stupid, stuffy, miserable, annoying wagons stuffed with insufferable people.<p>

They weren't even doing anything useful. While Bakura himself had 3 maps spread out over his legs that he and Malik, before Malik had left to go get fresh air, had been searching through for a place a book might be hidden.

A hidden library, a temple, somewhere.

Bakura was getting really annoyed at the lack of luck he'd had so far. He didn't have his own book of the dead, as far as he was concerned with, since thieves didn't need guides to find their way to the afterlife, they weren't even welcomed there.

Where were stupid books of the dead placed anyway? Well, after the owner died, they were placed in their tomb.

Their tomb…?

"Malik!" Bakura shrieked, the answer clicking into place. "Gilbert! I know where it is!"

The whole caravan jumped and stopped and rattled at that. Anzu and Joey ran over to his maps and Malik swumg himself into the back of the caravan as Gilbert pulled the camels to a stop.

As soon as everyone had gathered around the maps, Bakura lifted up his finger. "It's right here. You'd think it's in the great tomb of the pharaohs, the valley of the Kings. Where to put a book of the dead other than a tomb? But really, the city of Kul Elna is known as the gateway to the great tomb. The sahara desert."

"How the hell does one find anything there?" Joey protested.

"Easy." Bakura smirked. "There's a trail through the desert that we can follow until we hit a certain point. Not too far from there is an old library of scrolls we in Kul Elna called the tower. Beyond that is the tomb of an older pharaoh, whose city fell to ruin. I'm betting the scroll is inside his tomb. The pharaoh, after all, was known for his gold."

Gilbert gave a shaky frown. "This is stupid. And dangerous."

Malik laughed. "I like stupid and dangerous!"

"It's our only lead." Bakura pointed out. "If we don't go for this, then we'll just end up traversing the desert for however long."

Gilbert sighed, his shoulders slumping. "This is dangerous. We're stopping for supplies and things first."

* * *

><p>Alyss sat down on the table, smiling. Her white hair trailed around her as he stared at the two teens trapped in the abyss.<p>

"Okay, so our next challenge?" Oz demanded. "We survived 'time', why not let us take the next one?"

She shrugged. "I suppose you're right, it's been long enough time for you to rest. But this next one will be grueling."

"We'll do it, we signed. Now send us off!" Alice grumbled, playing with the spoon that she had been picking off her cake with. Oz nodded in agreement, arms crossed.

"Okay. Just, don't get too muddled." Alyss waved at them, and the familiar sensation of being sent off to another world waved over the both of them.

* * *

><p>Oz blinked. He looked down at his hands. He was a servant of the house of… Vessalius? And Alice, who was standing next to him, was wearing a maid's uniform.<p>

"We're servants?" Oz asked her, the fake memories filled with the memory of doing nothing but hard work all day long.

Alice grimaced. "I'm Vincent's bitch. Vincent's. This better be a joke."

Oz laughed a little, scratching the back of his head. "I can't believe that Ada is dating him…"

The furious housekeeper stomped over to the both of them, her face one of righteous fury. "Stop chit-chatting! And finish up dusting the house, or else I'll put both of you outside with no pay for the rest of the month!"

They gulped and ran off in separate directions.

It only took Oz a day to slump over in exhaustion. "Thank Gil! I'd die if I had to do this all the time! No wonder this challenge is being subservient."

Alice nodded, using a feather duster to clean off the many sets of shoes that Vincent owned. She got irritated with her task and she threw everything to the ground, stomping her feet. Her paitence was as good as ever.

"I hate this!" She screamed. "I can't stand Vincent! I can't STAND him! I hate his fucking shoes and his all vegetarian meals that he provides for maids and I hate walking in on him doing innappropriate things to ADA!"

Oz chuckled lightly. "It's a challenge. We have to work for the families like Gilbert did and just deal with it."

"I'm not okay with just dealing with it, I want to eat meat and not clean his fucking perfect shoes again just because he's a dick!" Alice starting punching the pillows on the couch in fury.

"Alice! Calm down, sheesh! It's just a bit of work, it won't kill us to get our hands dirty for a while."

"No, you get calm, kind, sweet Ada to work for! I have Vincent! Do you know how fucked up he is?"

Oh, Oz knew how fucked up Vincent was. In fact, he had experienced a lot of it, and it was disturbing. He didn't like that bastard with his hands all over his sister, but what could Oz really do about that?

Oz just laughed quietly and returned to folding the bed sheets just so, like the head maid had showed him. Ugh, if it was this much work, then maybe when he got back he'd give all the maids a week off or so. This was hell.

"Servitude is the mission, right?" Alice asked, looking above her and clearly not directing the question to Oz. "THEN WHY AREN'T WE DONE?"

"Maybe it's a time thing." Oz suggested.

"Maybe it's fucking hell." Alice snapped.

"Same difference." They both turned to look, and there Ada was, smiling after she had said those words. "I overheard you two. You're not from this dimension, are you?"

Oz gaped, and Alice nodded irritably. How the hell had Ada snuck up on them like that? That wasn't something he ever wanted to happen again!

"I think you may be misunderstanding this mission." Ada continued, her long blonde hair bouncing as she walked inside the room. She looked gorgeous, and Oz felt pride well up at how nice she was.

"Well, that aren't we thinking of?" Oz asked.

"Maybe the mission isn't servitude, but instead tolerance. This is for Gilbert, right? It's caused quite a disturbance, in every dimension but yours he's gone missing… like he never existed at all. I'd hurry up if I were you."

Well, that was troubling…

"You're not Ada." Alice hissed, her eyes going red. "Ada of this time would never know this! You are an imposter!"

Oz felt something flash before his eyes.

"_You're not Oz! None of you are Oz! You're all illusions, he's not here! He's not real!" Gilbert screamed, his hands holding his head. There were a dozen Oz's standing around him, all holding bloody weapons._

"_Gilbert… Gilbert…" They called, their voices blending together._

"She's an illusion! Alice, kill her!" Oz screamed, hoping to break out of the torture first.

"What if she's not? What if we fail?" Alice said, but her scythe was already in her hands and she was poised to kill.

The question was answered quickly, as a dozen Ada's appeared. They were all fakes. Oz remembered. Ada had never gone into the abyss, and she would never if he had his way. She was staying outside of it. For good.

Therefore, every Ada in here was fake. They had to escape this somehow; was this another test from Alyss?

"Do it already!" Oz demanded, clutching at the seal on his chest. It hurt as she used her power so easily, as she blew away the fake imitations of his sister.

Alice sliced and jumped, defeating them all easily. They didn't put up enough of a fight to be a real threat. It was a little horrifying to watch his sister die at Alice's hands, but if he closed his eyes, it didn't bother him enough to tell her stop.

"The challenge is over, Alyss! Return us back, we've broken your illusions!" He whispered, his eyes squished shut. He hated this already. When would they manage to save Gil? He wanted- no, he needed his friend back by his side so everything would make some sort of sense again.

Alyss couldn't keep tugging them around like this. This wasn't fair…

* * *

><p><strong>Ah, forever and finally an update. Oh well. A wonderful reviewer said that they would like more of my Yu-Gi-Oh work, and I needed to update this one soon anyway. I hope no one is too upset for how long this has been sitting. Well, not that many readers so I can expect to live a few more days! *cheers*<strong>

**Here's your preview for the next one!**

****_"So is this it?" Gilbert asked looking around. The city was dusty, the entire place looked like a ghost town, and not a living soul was in sight._

_"This-" Bakura grimaced, his entire white face scrunching up almost painfully as he glared around at the darker corners. There was movement wherever his eyes went, things scurrying off to tell their masters the message of their arrival. "-is definitely it. Welcome to Kul Edna."_

__**So sayonara and much love!**


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